How B.J. Novak Convinced John Krasinski To Become An Actor
Honestly, who doesn't love "The Office?" From the dry and insanely awkward moments of Michael Scott bickering with his coworkers to the loving "OTP" of Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly, the show is packed to the brim with charm and humor that has left viewers entertained for over a decade-and-a-half. And good ol' Creed Bratton, can't get enough of that guy (Okay, maybe the authorities can)! With an eclectic set of characters — main characters and auxiliary ones alike — each cast member brought something unique to the table, which makes the show so palatable and relatable even years and years later.
On top of their individual charm, the cast all shared impeccable chemistry perhaps unparalleled by any other sitcom in existence (Yes, we're looking at you, "Friends"). Whether it was through off-screen banter or, in one case, knowing your coworker from years past, the cast of "The Office" all gelled together in ways unforeseen. In fact, John Krasinski (who played Jim on the show) and B.J. Novak (who played Ryan Howard) had several years of history between the two that many fans may not even realize. And on top of that, it was Novak who ultimately convinced Krasinski to become an actor.
Can you believe it? Had it not been for Ryan Howard, Dunder Mifflin's former V.P. of Northeastern Sales, Jim Halpert would've never come to be? So how exactly did B.J. Novak convince John Krasinski to become an actor? Read on to find out!
The two attended high school together
Speaking to WUSA in 2016, John Krasinski opened up about his early years in school and revealed that he only partook in one play ("Annie") as a kid, where he played Daddy Warbucks. It wasn't until high school that Krasinski would be tasked with another role, but this time at the hands of former "Office" co-star B.J. Novak.
Novak, who attended Newton South High School in Massachusetts with Krasinski, was writing a school play of which he wanted his future "Office" co-star to be a part. Krasinski, who "didn't think [he] wanted to act at all," (as he told WUSA) revealed that Novak initially approached him and said, "I'm writing this giant parody on the school, on the teachers" and said, "I'd love for you to act in it." "I said, 'Oh yeah, I'm not an actor' and he's like, 'I don't know, I think you could be a good actor, would you ever wanna do this part?'" Krasinski continued.
"He was really one of the first people ever to tell me that acting is something I should even consider," Krasinski concluded. Who would've thought that two classmates from the East Coast would end up starring in one of the world's biggest TV sitcoms of all time? And who would've thought Novak's Ryan Howard, who created quite the toxic work environment for Krasinski's Jim Halpert at times, would actually be so beneficial to him off-screen? John Krasinski's thoughts — right after the jump!
John Krasinski thought it was 'super trippy' to work with his pal again
As if fate couldn't be any more curious for John Krasinski and B.J. Novak, the two former classmates would end up reuniting on one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, "The Office." When asked about what it was like to work with Novak out of the blue following their high school years, Krasinski noted that it was "super trippy" and "really weird" (via WUSA).
"I was living in New York at the time, so there were [Los Angeles] kids testing for 'The Office' and New York kids — truly two different groups. I walked in and saw the L.A. kids and it was like that 'Seinfeld' Bizarro episode where it was like, people looked exactly like you but from a different city going after the same thing," Krasinski prefaced the story. "[Then] I saw B.J. and I remember getting really nervous and he said, 'I'm going after this part of Ryan,' and I'm like, 'Oh, great! You're not going after Jim, perfect,'" the actor continued.
"Then we were good friends after that, but it would've been bad news," Krasinski reflected. The actor also had a lot of praise for Novak, stating that he is "so incredibly talented, he's a great writer and actor and stand-up and all those things." Krasinski also "weirdly [knows] him as the Home Run King of [his] little league," in which they played on the same team together around the age of 12.