It’s been 20 years since The Office first aired on NBC in March 2005, and Ellie Kemper (Erin) and Angela Kinsey (Angela) are still feeling the love from fans. “I didn’t realize The Office was going to be a lifetime-worth of really great blessings,” Kinsey tells Elite Daily.
Thanks to streaming, The Office has become easier than ever to rewatch, with many fans considering it their comfort TV show. The cast, including Kemper and Kinsey, even came together recently for a nostalgic, mini Office reunion via AT&T Business’ “Wake Up With CrAIg” campaign. The series of ads had the internet begging to “bring the same crew back for another show already.”
While a reboot of the classic isn’t on the table right now, Peacock premiered The Paper, a spinoff series, in September, reviving a lot of love for The Office once again. Now, looking back, Kemper and Kinsey are really grateful for their time at Dunder Mifflin and excited for where they are now.
Below, the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star and co-author of You Can Make This! dish on the 21 life lessons they wish they had known about dating, friendships, skin care, and more before they starred in The Office. — Rachel Chapman, staff writer
- “When it comes to love and relationships, you’re at the beginning. You have a lot of time. Feel free to try on a few different hats.”—Angela
- “Going on a single date does not signify a long-term commitment. You can go on a date, then figure out if you want to go on another date after.”—Ellie
- “You don’t need dating apps. I’ve never done a dating app, thank the Lord.”—Angela
- “You’ll get to the other side of a breakup. You will. It might feel tough in the moment, but it will pass.”—Angela
- “Breakups are necessary to understand what it is that you want from a relationship. See any breakup as information.”—Ellie
- “There are some friendships that are there for a season and that’s fine. And then, there are some that will always be there. It’s OK to have friends that are just there for a chapter of your life. It doesn’t mean that they weren’t meant to be there for you.”—Angela
- “You might reconnect with someone after years, and it’s a new stage of that friendship. That can be so beautiful.”—Ellie
- “Reaching back out to someone that you haven’t connected with in a while is possible. Something amazing can come from that.”—Ellie
- “Leave your friends voice memos.”—Ellie
- “Hollywood is a lot of smoke and mirrors. Find your people and don’t worry about the hoopla part of it.”—Angela
- “Don’t read what people are writing online. Don’t read the comments section.”—Ellie
- “Stay true to yourself.”—Angela
- “Family is all that really matters.”—Angela
- “Put moisturizer on your face. I never moisturized my face. It didn’t even occur to me, but do it. Just hydrate.”—Ellie
- “Things might be hard and you can handle it.”—Ellie
- “Save your blue jeans. I really wish I had saved some of my blue jeans because it all comes back. Not that you shouldn’t take things and donate them. I’m just saying donate lots of stuff, but save your blue jeans.”—Angela
- “Things stay on the internet forever.”—Ellie
- “There are going to be times in life where happiness is a choice. You have to choose to get yourself up, to get yourself out there, and to find joy. Some days it doesn’t come to you and some days you have to go find it.”—Angela
- “Sometimes, you’ve got to air it out.”—Angela
- “We all have more in common than you think. There are more shared goals we all want than we don’t.”—Angela
- “Wear whatever the heck you want to wear.”—Angela
