The Office Stars Then and Now: From Dunder Mifflin to Today

Steve Carell played the character of Michael Scott to perfection, though there’s no denying his appearance changed quite a bit from the first season to the next.

Steve Carell left The Office before the series was over but has gone on to have a celebrated career in Hollywood. He’s one of the best ever to do it.

Rainn Wilson’s turn as Dwight Schrute is one of the most iconic, memorable and hilarious characters in television history. It was a one-of-a-kind performance.

Rainn Wilson has never quite reached the same acting heights he had as Dwight Schrute in The Office, but has carved out a comedic career nonetheless.

John Krasinski played Jim Halpert, the shaggy-haired prankster whose love for Pam Beesly gave the show incredible heart early in the series.

John Krasinski left The Office to act in more action movies and series while also taking a crack at writing and directing as well.

Some have said that Jenna Fischer’s Pam Beesly was actually the main character of The Office, and it’s hard to argue with that notion. Her arc was the most important throughout.

Jenna Fischer is still very much involved with The Office though it’s in the form of a podcast. Her show The Office Ladies with Angela Kinsey is one of the most popular around.

B.J. Novak pulled double duty early in The Office as both a regular on the show and one of the main writers as well. His Ryan Howard character had one of the crazier arcs you will see.

B.J. Novak went on to write and act, seemingly turning up in unexpected places over the years. He’s regarded as one of the brightest minds in the business.

Like B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling also pulled double-duty on The Office, writing episodes and playing Kelly Kapur. Her character got more over the top as the show went on, fully becoming a mouthpiece of consumer and celebrity culture.

Mindy Kaling went on to create and star in The Mindy Project and has also had a role on The Morning Show as well. She continues to write and produce to this day.

Angela Kinsey played uptight accountant Angela Martin whose main story arc (besides being an insane cat lover) was part of her would-they, won’t they relationship with Dwight Schrute (they got together in the end).

Along with Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey hosts the popular podcast The Office Ladies, in which they examine the history of the series episode by episode.

Brian Baumgartner played doltish but lovable Kevin Malone, one-third of The Office’s accounting trio. His one-liners and lack of self-awareness were series highlights.

Brian Baumgartner also got into the podcasting game with “An Oral History of The Office” and has had several bit parts in series through the years.

Oscar Nunez played Oscar Martinez, the last of the accounting group. He was “outed” in Season 3 and played the buttoned-up and “logical” foil to much of The Office’s insane other characters.

Oscar Nunez has continued a fruitful career in Hollywood, taking on a number of voice roles through the years, starring in Mr. Iglesias and appearing on Lucky Hank.

Kate Flannery played Meredith Palmer through the entirety of The Office’s run, maybe best known for her struggles with alcohol in earlier seasons.

Kate Flannery ended up appearing on Dancing with the Stars and has taken on a several voice roles through the years.

Phyllis Smith was a burlesque dancer before joining the cast of The Office. Later in the show, she found love with Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration.

Phyllis Smith joined the Pixar family when she voiced Sadness in both Inside Out and Inside Out 2. She also appeared in The OA.

Leslie David Baker played Stanley Hudson, the curmudgeonly salesman whose time on The Office was mostly spent hating his boss and his job to the core.

There was some word of a The Office spinoff show with Leslie David Baker in the lead as Uncle Stan. But for the most part, he’s been taking smaller roles in the industry.

Paul Lieberstein played Toby Flenderson, the much-maligned and tough to feel for the head of Human Resources. Lieberstein was also a writer and briefly the showrunner for The Office when Greg Daniels stepped away from the show.

Paul Lieberstein is actually Greg Daniels’s brother-in-law and has continued to write and produce in Hollywood after The Office wrapped up.

Creed Bratton literally played himself as, well, Creed Bratton. The character’s life mirrors Bratton’s own and he was a fan and cast favorite throughout the entire The Office run.

Creed Bratton didn’t have much of an acting career before The Office but has parlayed the time there into a number of roles after the series finished.

Ed Helms joined The Office in Season 3, playing the acapella-singing, rage-fueled Andy Bernard. He went on to be one of the show’s stars.

Ed Helms has gone on to have as big a career as anyone from The Office cast. He came on big in The Hangover and has had so many credits and hits since then.

Craig Robinson played Darryl Philbin for the entire The Office run, eventually moving from the warehouse to be with the rest of the group in later seasons.

Hot Tub Time Machine anyone? Craig Robinson has had a successful career post The Office and recently starred in Killing It.

Rashida Jones joined The Office in Season 3 as part of the Stamford, Connecticut branch. She was a brief love interest for John Krasinski’s Jim, though it didn’t last.

Rashida Jones joined Parks and Recreation almost immediately after leaving The Office and has been incredibly successful creating Claws. She’s had plenty of star turns along the way.

Ellie Kemper joined The Office at the end of Season 5 when her Erin Hannon character filled in as secretary for Pam Beesly. She ended up a regular from then on thanks to her sweet and dopey charm.

Ellie Kemper went on to star in Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt and has become an accomplished voice actress as well.

David Denman played Roy, the longtime fiance, never-husband of Pam Beesly. Working in the warehouse, Roy was a tough guy to love though eventually he realized what he messed up with Pam.

David Denman has had a steady career after The Office. He’s rarely the star, but has been in a number of noteworthy productions including Mare of Easttown and The Equalizer 3 among others.

Melora Hardin was a The Office scene stealer as Jan Levinson, Michael Scott’s boss-turned-lover. She was unhinged in all the most hilarious ways.

Melora Hardin has been a character actress in Hollywood for years, appearing in a number of different productions including Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie. She also starred in The Bold Type.

Amy Ryan joined The Office in Season 5 and Holly Flax immediately became Michael Scott’s mission in life. Theirs was a love story with twists and turns, but in the end they were meant to be.

Amy Ryan appeared in Only Murders in the Building as well as Sugar. She’s a talented and well-respected actress who can deliver comedically as well as on a dramatic level.