IN CONVERSATION WITH CHELSEA FREI

interview by JANA LETONJA

Chelsea Frei  will be starring in the highly anticipated series ‘The Paper ‘, which will premiere on Peacock this September, and will be available to stream exclusively on SkyShowtime in the Netherlands this Fall. The series comes from the same universe as the iconic ‘The Office’  and will pick up as the documentary crew that once immortalized Dunder Mifflin sets out to find their next subject, ultimately landing at the struggling local paper. Chelsea’s previous TV and film credits include ‘Poker Face’, ‘The Cleaning Lady’, HBO’s ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’, and most recently Netflix’s ‘The Life List’.

You’ll be starring in ‘The Paper’. How does it feel to be joining a universe connected to ‘The Office’, one of the most beloved comedies of all time? 

It’s been well over a year since I found out I was cast, and I wonder if it will ever not feel surreal. ‘The Office’, both the American and UK version, have been my comfort shows since I was in college. I’ve watched it after drunken nights out with friends, I’ve watched it with my family and sister during the holidays, I’ve watched it when I’ve been shooting somewhere overseas and felt lonely. I think like a lot of people who love ‘The Office’, there’s a sense of warmth and familiarity that just make you feel like you are going to be okay. So, to be part of that universe, in any way, is insane to me. And daunting.

Your role in the series is already generating buzz as a breakout performance. What drew you to this character, and what can you tease about her? 

It’s funny, when I was auditioning, I knew essentially nothing about her. It was dummy sides, with no script, and zero information on the show. I didn’t even know it was about a newspaper. So I brought a lot of myself into it when I was auditioning, and let both Greg and Michael kind of move me in different directions. After I was cast, and got to read the scripts and get to know her, I fell instantly in love. I relate so deeply to her yearning to make a difference, but also relate to her not totally knowing where to begin. To me, she embodies hope. She’s also an absolute mess, at times, and has an ability to be vulnerable that I find so refreshing. She’s tough, knows what she wants, and will kick your ass if she needs to. 

Greg Daniels and Michael Koman are comedy royalty. What was it like working with them on a project that blends legacy with something totally fresh? 

They are two of the best and most supportive people I could ever dream of working with. They care so deeply about the work, the story, the characters, and were so incredibly collaborative. Some of my favorite memories from set were moments where I’d just get to talk with them about our experiences in different workplace environments, relationships, family dynamics, and use that to better understand the scripts and characters. They are also so ridiculously funny and kind. It helped ease my very insane nerves of working with comedy legends. Even as ridiculously successful as they both are, they always made me feel like I was important in the story telling process, too.

How does ‘The Paper’ carve its own identity while still nodding to ‘The Office’ universe? 

I think in a lot of ways it's very different. The mockumentary style, I hope, will remind people of that classic ‘The Office’ familiarity, and of course there are several other familiar parts and faces that I am too scared to mention. But I think because of the time gap since ‘The Office’ came out, television has changed so much. I hope ‘The Paper’ showcases that change. There’s less time to get to know these characters, and that creates the challenge of really being able to drop in, and know what these people want and need. I think there’s also a deep sense of hope and desire to change in ‘The Paper’. Not that there wasn’t in ‘The Office’, by any means, but I think there’s a clearer desperation to save the local newspaper industry that creates a drive and urgency to the show. 

You’ve been called a “comedy gem”. What makes you gravitate toward comedic roles, and what’s your secret to nailing a scene? 

It sounds like my Dad called you. I honestly have spent my entire life just wanting to be a clown and make people laugh in my real life. But as I’ve gotten older and my work has become acting, my perspective has shifted a bit. No longer do I want to be the funniest person in the scene, I want to be the most truthful. I think humor comes from grounded truth and knowing what you want, and I’ve tried to change my need from just being ridiculous until people laugh to people laughing at how serious I take something. Also, it’s much easier to make something funny when the writing is incredible, and I don’t know how I got so lucky that some of the best writers in the industry are on our show.

What’s the biggest challenge in doing grounded, workplace-style comedy like ‘The Paper ‘versus more stylized roles? 

I think, again, not needing to be funny but instead needing to be real. There’s also an added element of the characters knowing that sometimes there are cameras on them, and sometimes being unaware of the cameras. It adds this difference that we all feel in real life, when we know someone is recording us, of course we act accordingly. But honestly, it made the process all the more fun and challenging for me. I learned so much in this first season.

You’ve had roles in everything from ‘Poker Face’ to ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ and ‘The Life List’. What feels different about ‘The Paper’ in your career path? 

In particular, those three roles all were so different and fun and had their own challenges, but they were also all quite small parts in massive stories. And I know there are no such thing as small parts. But I mean, it is a different job. Coming in for a few days or weeks on something is very different than something like ‘The Paper’, where I was working nearly every day, in an ensemble of characters that need to grow and breathe as a unit. This felt all encompassing, in an amazing way. Our cast and crew became family, you get to know people in such a more intimate way. I loved everyone and hope we get to do it again.

What’s been the most surprising lesson you’ve learned working across so many different genres? 

Not really the most surprising when you think about it, but I’d say that the only thing that really matters, at least to me, is a nice and kind set. Without that, I’m kind of like, what are we doing here?

People describe you as hilarious, stunning, and smart. How do you stay grounded while stepping into bigger and more visible roles? 

Again, Dad, stop hounding these people. I feel like my only choice is to stay grounded. I’ve had so many moments where I thought everything was about to change for me in an upward way in my career, and then it all fell apart. I’ve also had moments where I thought my career was over, and then I’ve got the best news of my life, like this job. It can all go away in a second, I’ve seen that firsthand, so I try to always keep that mentality, and just be happy to be here right now.

With ‘The Paper’ set to premiere this fall, what are you most excited for viewers to experience when the series drops? 

There are so many people on the show that made me laugh so hard I couldn't get through a scene. I’m really really excited for viewers to hopefully have that same experience. 

CREDITS

photography ELYS BERROTERAN

styling VICTOR CORDERO

hair JESSI BUTTERFIELD

makeup SEIJI