Jenna Fischer

Jenna Fischer
Character	Pam Halpert
Date of Birth	March 7, 1974
Place of Birth	Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA

Regina Marie “Jenna” Fischer (born March 7, 1974) plays Pam Halpert (née Beesly) on The Office.

Quick Answers

What role did Jenna Fischer play on 'The Office'?

On 'The Office', Jenna Fischer portrayed Pam Beesly, a character who transitions from receptionist to saleswoman and finally to office administrator at Dunder Mifflin. Pam is depicted as a shy, artistically inclined individual with a romantic storyline involving Jim Halpert.

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What was Jenna Fischer's career path before landing her role on 'The Office'?

Jenna Fischer, before her breakthrough role on 'The Office', was a struggling actor, working as a receptionist. She auditioned for 'Alias', but wasn't selected. Considering a career switch to a veterinary technician, her acting coach persuaded her to continue. This led to her audition for 'The Office', where she was advised to present a 'normal' and 'boring' performance.

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What other movies has Jenna Fischer starred in?

Apart from her role on The Office, Jenna Fischer has appeared in films such as 'Seeking a Friend for the End of the World' and 'Bridesmaids'. She played Steve Carell's girlfriend in the former and Helen's tennis partner in the latter.

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Who advised Jenna Fischer during her audition for 'The Office'?

During Jenna Fischer's audition for 'The Office', the casting director, Allison Jones, instructed her to appear 'normal' and 'dare to bore me'. Fischer adhered to this guidance, maintaining a minimalistic approach throughout the auditions.

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What was Jenna Fischer's alternative career choice if acting didn't work out?

Before landing her role on The Office, Jenna Fischer contemplated leaving acting to pursue a career as a veterinary technician. Encouraged by her acting coach, she gave acting one more year, which led to her audition for The Office. She also gained experience working as a receptionist during her early acting career.

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Coming to The Office

Jenna Fischer had become frustrated with the lack of success in her acting career and told her agent that she was going to quit and become a veterinary technician. Her acting coach told her that paltry success is normal for an actor. Fischer agreed to stay in acting for one more year. It was that year that she auditioned for The Office.

Fischer was advised by casting director Allison Jones not to make herself pretty for the audition, and "dare to bore me."

Fischer imagined that Pam didn't care about the documentary but had been forced to participate by her boss. At the audition, one of the other actors trying out for the part wore knee-high leather boots. Fischer thought to herself, "Oh, honey, Pam would never wear boots like that."

Greg Daniels interviewed her in character. The first question was, "Do you like working as a receptionist?" She simply said, "No." Daniels was taken aback. "It kind of blew my mind because I didn't understand it. I was like, she doesn't appear to be acting. She appears to simply be Pam." He shifted his approach to be as if he was interviewing a receptionist, not an actor pretending to be a receptionist. After the first audition, Greg Daniels was so impressed, he wondered if she was a real receptionist.

Unlike the other actors, who were chatty and friendly, Jenna Fischer sat quietly. Director Ken Kwapis said, "She was such a wallflower vibe that I actually started wondering if she was there by mistake, that she was actually there to interview for a receptionist job. But of course she was working. She was working really hard."

In her audition, Fischer (as Pam) said, "I hope they get rid of me. Because then I might actually get off my ass and do something. Because I don't think it's many little girls' dream to grow up and be a receptionist. I don't know what I'm going to do, but whatever it is, it's gotta be a career move, not just another arbitrary job. Jim's advice was that it's better to be at the bottom of a ladder that you want to climb than halfway up one you don't."

Trivia

• Jenna's father's name is Jim, and her brother-in-law's name is Dwight.
• Jenna Fischer spent some time working as a receptionist while she was a struggling actor. She is an excellent typist, and she does her own typing on the show as Pam. For example, in "Halloween", she types Jim's suggestions for Dwight's résumé.
• Jenna Fischer auditioned for the role of Sidney Bristow on "Alias". She made it through multiple rounds and the show said that she "blew them away" with her performance. However, they didn't feel that she was "hot enough" for the role.
• Jenna Fischer was in the pilot of the TV series Man with a Plan starring Matt LeBlanc, playing LeBlanc's wife. Just before leaving for the Upfronts, she was informed that she was no longer on the show because focus groups didn't believe the "Pam and Joey" would get married. Watch some clips.