The Office Cast (2005–2013)
NBC | Mockumentary Sitcom | 9 Seasons, 201 Episodes | Developed by Greg Daniels
The Office is an American mockumentary sitcom set at the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of fictional paper-distribution company Dunder Mifflin. Shot in the style of a fly-on-the-wall documentary, the series follows the everyday absurdities of office life under the misguided management of regional manager Michael Scott. Adapted by Greg Daniels from the British series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the show aired on NBC from March 24, 2005, to May 16, 2013. It won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2006 and remains one of the most-streamed series in US television history.
The Office cast is one of the deepest and most beloved ensembles in American television comedy. Under showrunner Greg Daniels, the show assembled a large group of performers — many of whom were also writers on the series — and gave each character a specific comic persona that could anchor its own storyline. Steve Carell's Michael Scott anchored the first seven seasons with a performance that balanced cringe comedy and genuine pathos, while the surrounding Office cast — Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling, B.J. Novak, Craig Robinson, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Brian Baumgartner, and more — gave Dunder Mifflin Scranton a rich, layered workplace world that made the show compulsively rewatchable long after its original run ended.
Main Cast
Steve Carell
Michael Scott
The well-meaning but painfully oblivious regional manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton, whose desperate need for his employees' affection drives the show's central comic tension through Season 7.
Rainn Wilson
Dwight Schrute
The intense, rule-obsessed assistant (to the) regional manager and top salesman, a beet farmer and volunteer sheriff's deputy whose literal-mindedness makes him both fearsome and deeply funny.
John Krasinski
Jim Halpert
A charming, underachieving salesman who serves as the audience's everyman surrogate, frequently breaking the fourth wall with knowing looks at the camera while pulling elaborate pranks on Dwight.
Jenna Fischer
Pam Beesly
The warm, artistic receptionist who starts the series engaged to a warehouse worker and over several seasons pursues both her relationship with Jim and her ambitions as an office administrator and artist.
Ed Helms
Andy Bernard
A Cornell-educated, anger-management-attending salesman who transfers from the Stamford branch, eventually becoming regional manager after Michael's departure in Season 8.
Craig Robinson
Darryl Philbin
The laid-back, witty warehouse foreman who gradually moves upstairs into a sales position, often serving as a voice of calm reason amid the chaos of the office above.
Mindy Kaling
Kelly Kapoor
The pop-culture-obsessed, emotionally volatile customer service representative whose on-again, off-again relationship with Ryan is one of the show's long-running comic threads.
B.J. Novak
Ryan Howard
A business school graduate who starts as a temp and follows an arc from wide-eyed newcomer to arrogant VP to disgraced ex-employee, cycling in and out of the Scranton branch throughout the series.
Angela Kinsey
Angela Martin
The prim, cat-loving head of accounting whose cold demeanor and rigid morality contrast sharply with her secret long-running affair with Dwight.
Ellie Kemper
Erin Hannon
The cheerful, eager-to-please receptionist who replaces Pam in Season 5 and becomes one of the show's most endearing characters through her guileless enthusiasm.
Supporting & Recurring Cast
| Actor | Character | Role | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oscar Nunez | Oscar Martinez | Mild-mannered accountant who is generally the most rational person in the office | 1–9 |
| Brian Baumgartner | Kevin Malone | Good-natured accountant known for his slowness, love of food, and unexpectedly deep poker skills | 1–9 |
| Leslie David Baker | Stanley Hudson | Chronically bored sales rep who counts down to retirement and is famously indifferent to his surroundings | 1–9 |
| Phyllis Smith | Phyllis Vance | Warm, good-natured saleswoman who is married to Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration | 1–9 |
| Creed Bratton | Creed Bratton | Mysterious quality assurance director with a murky past; played by musician Creed Bratton under his own name | 1–9 |
| Kate Flannery | Meredith Palmer | The supplier relations rep whose alcoholism and chaotic personal life are a constant source of dark comedy | 1–9 |
| Paul Lieberstein | Toby Flenderson | The hapless HR representative whom Michael despises, responsible for enforcing rules Michael refuses to follow | 1–9 |
| Dirk Blocker | Hitchcock | One of a pair of lazy, food-obsessed detectives; here in the context of the show, a background sales employee | 1–9 |
| David Koechner | Todd Packer | Michael's crude, obnoxious traveling salesman best friend, tolerated by Michael and loathed by virtually everyone else | 1–8 |
| Amy Ryan | Holly Flax | The HR rep who replaces Toby, becomes Michael's true love interest, and eventually leaves with him in Season 7 | 4–7 |
| James Spader | Robert California | The enigmatic, manipulative CEO who takes over Dunder Mifflin for Season 8 | 7–8 |
| Kathy Bates | Jo Bennett | The boisterous, straight-talking CEO of Sabre Corporation, which acquires Dunder Mifflin | 6–7 |
Creators & Production
Greg Daniels
Developer and showrunner; adapted the British format and guided the show through its creative peak in Seasons 2–7
Ricky Gervais
Co-creator of the original British series on which the US adaptation is based; served as executive producer
Stephen Merchant
Co-creator of the original British series; executive producer on the US version
Michael Schur
Writer and producer during the show's early seasons; later co-created Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Mindy Kaling
Cast member and prolific writer-producer, penning some of the show's most celebrated episodes including "The Dundies"
B.J. Novak
Cast member and writer-producer who contributed significantly to the show's comedic voice in early seasons
Ken Kwapis
Director of the US pilot and several key early episodes, instrumental in establishing the show's visual language
About The Office Cast
One of the most distinctive features of The Office cast is the degree to which its performers were also involved in writing the show. Mindy Kaling, B.J. Novak, and Paul Lieberstein all wrote scripts in addition to acting, giving the series an unusually unified authorial voice. Greg Daniels deliberately hired writer-performers so that each character's voice would be consistent both on and off the page. This approach was partly inspired by the original British series, in which Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant wrote every episode they appeared in. The practice gave even minor characters like Creed Bratton — who essentially played a comedically heightened version of himself — a rich internal consistency that rewarded close viewing.
Steve Carell's departure after Season 7 was one of the most discussed cast changes in early-2010s television. The show handled the transition with a high-profile search for Michael Scott's replacement, casting Will Ferrell as a temporary manager and then rotating through several candidates before settling on Ed Helms's Andy Bernard as the new branch manager. While Seasons 8 and 9 are generally considered a step below the Carell era, the show's finale — which reunited the full original cast including Carell himself — was widely praised and gave the series a satisfying conclusion. The finale episode drew over 5 million same-day viewers and was the most-watched broadcast of the 2012–13 television season for NBC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in The Office (US)?
The Office (US) features a large ensemble cast led by Steve Carell as regional manager Michael Scott, Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, John Krasinski as Jim Halpert, and Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly. The full cast also includes Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling, B.J. Novak, Craig Robinson, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, and many others.
Who plays Dwight Schrute in The Office?
Dwight Schrute is played by Rainn Wilson. Wilson's portrayal of the intense, beet-farming assistant (to the) regional manager earned him three consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
How many seasons of The Office are there?
The US version of The Office ran for 9 seasons on NBC, from March 24, 2005, to May 16, 2013, producing 201 episodes. Steve Carell departed after Season 7, with the show continuing for two more seasons under a rotating ensemble of leads.
Who developed The Office (US)?
The US version of The Office was developed by Greg Daniels, adapted from the British series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Daniels served as showrunner during the show's peak years and also co-created Parks and Recreation with Michael Schur.
When did Steve Carell leave The Office?
Steve Carell left The Office at the end of Season 7 in 2011, with his character Michael Scott departing Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch to be with his fiancée in Colorado. He returned briefly for the series finale in Season 9.
How we build these cast lists
For background on how Cast.biz compiles and orders cast credits, see understanding billing order, how TV show casts are built, and our glossary of cast credits.