What ‘The Office’ Star Rainn Wilson Truly Feels About Being Stuck In People’s Memory as Dwight Schrute

Developed by Greg Daniels, The Office is a mockumentary sitcom based on the BBC series of the same name created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. The sitcom starred Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, and more. The story goes on to showcase the everyday work lives of the people who work at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The Office is regarded as one of the best sitcoms ever made. The characters’ performances have imprinted on the minds of the audience to the extent that sometimes the lines between fiction and reality get blurred out for them. Rainn Wilson spoke about how he feels when he is called out by his fictional name.

Rainn Wilson reveals his reaction to being called Dwight Schrute from The Office

Actor Rainn Wilson is widely known for portraying Dwight Schrute on The Office. The character was based on Gareth Keena and was a salesman and assistant to the regional manager. The character is one of the most beloved characters on the show, and Wilson has been appreciated for his work over the years.

During his interview, Rainn Wilson, along with Bryan Cranston, who is widely known for playing Walter White on The Breaking Bad, took a deep dive into what it takes to build a character. Wilson during the conversation acknowledged that he is going to be known as Dwight Schrute for the rest of his life because it’s so deeply instilled in the minds of people. He added (via Soul Boom with Rainn Wilson),

Sometimes when people call me Dwight, they’re like, ‘Guys, it’s Dwight.’. It’s a little bit like, guys, Dwight is a fictional character on a TV show from 10-11 years ago.

In an interview with The Office Ladies, the actor shared how he was selected to play the iconic part on the show. He said (via Mashable),

I called my agent. I was like, ‘I’d really like to audition for The Office.’ And I was the first person to audition on the first day. I had auditioned for both Dwight and Michael on that first day.

Wilson shared that even though his Michael Scott audition was terrible, his audition for Dwight Schrute went well. He said he knew that the character was in his wheelhouse and he knew exactly who that person was.

Rainn Wilson added that the character is in his DNA and he has cousins who are not really that different from Dwight Schrute. His exceptional performance has managed to make it one of the most beloved characters.

Rainn Wilson was ‘unhappy’ during the filming of The Office

Wilson played one of the most iconic characters on The Office and brought joy to many people across the world, but little did the audience know that the actor wasn’t exactly happy when he was filming.

On his appearance on Club Random with Bill Maher, he shared that when he took the role, he didn’t have any aspirations for stardom but he needed to pay his loans. He said,

When I was in The Office, I spent several years mostly unhappy because it wasn’t enough. This is what I’m looking at now, and I am realizing now—I’m on a hit show, Emmy nominated every year, making lots of money, working with Steve Carell, Jenna Fischer, and John Krasinski, and these amazing writers and incredible directors.

He recalled that he was on one of the greatest TV shows, which the audience loved, but he wasn’t enjoying it. Wilson admits that he kept thinking, ‘Why was he not a movie star like Jack Black or Will Ferrell?‘

He added that thoughts like why can’t he have a movie career or a development deal crept in. Rainn Wilson mentioned that he was a TV star, but he wanted to be a movie star, adding it was never enough.

However, the actor goes on to mention that working on his spirituality ultimately helped him become more grateful for the present and let go of his materialistic ambitions. He also mentioned that he feels honored that he is a part of a show that has served as therapeutic to many during their tough times.

The Office is available to stream on Peacock.