5 Actresses Who Auditioned for the Role of Pam on 'The Office'
By Rachel Reed
On The Office, there can only be one Pam Beesly—just ask Jim.
After all of our rewatch binges of the beloved workplace comedy, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Jenna Fischer filling those Dundie winning "whitest shoes." But once upon a time, the iconic role was still up for grabs, and a few familiar faces almost snagged the role of Dunder Mifflin’s OG secretary. Here are five actresses who nearly won the part.
1. Mary Lynn Rajskub
Most people will recognize Mary Lynn Rajskub for her role as Chloe O'Brian on 24, along with parts in the shows Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Californication, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and more. E! News reports that the Michigan native almost played Pam on The Office, but does not disclose any information on her audition process.
2. Kathryn Hahn
As shown in the auditioned tapes for The Office published on YouTube, Kathryn Hahn took a stab at the role of Pam. You can watch the video here. Comedy fans will know the actress for her roles in movies such as Step Brothers, We're the Millers, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and others, as well as TV shows like Parks and Recreation and Girls. In 2017, Hahn was nominated for an Emmy for her portrayal of Raquel Fein in the show Transparent.
3. Anne Dudek
Anne Dudek has experience in both comedy and drama, acting in shows such as House, Mad Men, and Bosch, as well as movies like White Chicks and Middle Man. When Rainn Wilson (who played Dwight Schrute) posted an audition call log for The Office back in 2013 (per Deadline), it revealed that Dudek was one of the ladies who went for the role of Pam.
4. Ever Carradine
Wison's post also revealed that Ever Carradine had the opportunity to audition for Pam. You might recognize the actress for her roles in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Bubble Boy, as well as more recent titles in The Handmaid's Tale and Runaways. Fun fact: she's the daughter of famous actor Robert Carradine (Revenge of the Nerds).
5. Angela Kinsey
That's right—the actress behind Angela Martin originally auditioned for the role of Pam. Can you imagine? While on her and Jenna Fischer's podcast Office Ladies, she recalled of her audition process, "I wore a pink sweater. My hair down. I was told to look not-too-fancy, so I didn’t too much with my hair and makeup." She continued to tell her former co-star, "When we got to the point when Michael fake-fires you, you start to cry and you call him a jerk. When I called him a jerk, everyone started to laugh. I thought, ‘I did something wrong. I don’t think they’re supposed to laugh at that moment.'"