Some experiences have a way of etching themselves into our memories, and for Ken Jeong, one of the most unforgettable moments of his career came from his brief but impactful role in The Office.
Exploring what he describes as one of his “breakout roles,” Jeong reflects on his memorable stint in the beloved sitcom. Expressing his clear admiration for one of the most uproarious comedy sensations to grace television, Jeong also gloated about working alongside some of the biggest names in comedy — namely, Steve Carell. Proudly expressing his immense admiration for the actor helming the series, Jeong even refers to him as the “LeBron James of comedy.”
When I run into Steve, I’ll tell him — I’ll almost embarrass him — because I’ll be like, “I remember every single moment.” He’s like the LeBron James of comedy. He can do it all. He has the most versatility of anyone I know, and I learned a lot. I wanted to watch his process, and it was fantastic.
Aside from his immeasurable respect for Carell, Jeong shared that his audition for the show was driven by his deep admiration of the original British run of The Office, created in 2001 by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Despite the American adaptation’s initial lack of popularity, Jeong never once hesitated to seize the opportunity to be a part of it, wholly ready to embark on his new role.
I don’t know if people knew that I was on “The Office.” That was one of my first credits, and the [original BBC version of “The Office”] is perhaps my favorite TV show of all time. I watched every episode dozens of times, even when I auditioned for that role in “The Office.” What made it special for me was, at that time, it wasn’t necessarily a big hit. It was in its first or second season, but I knew the tone instantly.
Moreover, the actor admits that to this day, anyone will still see him gloating about his time on The Office, even during his appearance in the Office Ladies podcast with Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. Despite only being on set for a total of three hours, the actor admits to still “remember every single minute of being on that Dunder Mifflin set in Van Nuys.” After all, who is the comedy fan who wouldn’t love to be on the set of The Office?
Jeong’s latest film Fool’s Paradise will hit theaters on May 12.