Henriette Mantel

The actress who plays Meredith Palmer in the pilot actually was not Kate Flannery, the star we came to know and love over the seasons. Instead, Henriette Mantel played the role for the first episode, before Flannery took over for the rest of the show. The original actress might not be a household name, but she had been featured in various TV shows, such as Will & Grace, as well as a role in The Brady Bunch film series.

Well, as Office Ladies explained, Mantel was already attached to a different project after the pilot was picked up and a full season of The Office was ordered, which led her to drop out of the role of Meredith. Then, Flannery was casted, and the rest is history!