The Office (2005-2013) is already a celebrated sitcom and has been the breakthrough project for prominent actors like Steve Carell and John Krasinski. The show gave iconic TV actors such as Michael Scott, Jim Halpert, and Pam Beesly among others. The show is known for its many standout comedic moments throughout its many episodes. One of them is the hilarious kiss scene between Michael Scott and the supporting character Oscar Martinez, played by actor Oscar Nunez. While many of the gags throughout the show were scripted, this standout moment was improvised by Carell himself, much to the shock of his co-actor and everyone witnessing the scene.
Steve Carell went in for the Kiss and Added His Touch To It
An article by Screen Rant lists some unknown facts regarding the kiss between Michael Scott and Oscar Martinez. Based on comments made by star Jenna Fischer via the Office Ladies Podcast, the iconic kiss was an improvised bit from Steve Carell himself. The expressions on all the characters in the scene were genuine as the bit was not in the script. The shock was twofold since the actors did not expect Carell’s improvisation, which came out naturally in the scene through their character’s expressions.
This differed significantly from what was supposed to happen in the script. Fischer elaborated on the sequence in the scripted version saying,
“He hugs you and then he was supposed to go in for a kiss but he chickens out and is supposed to like kiss you on the forehead.”
Carell is a known comedian, hence his improvisational skills came into play here maybe in an attempt to elevate the material than what was written in the script.
Oscar Nunez’s Reaction to the Improvised Kiss
Oscar Nunez reflected on his thoughts regarding Steve Carell’s improvised kiss which remains an iconic moment in the show’s history. In an interview with IGN, he expressed his thoughts about the scene and acknowledged that he understood Carell’s decision to go about the scene in his way rather than what was written in the script. He said,
“I was thinking, “I can’t believe he did it.” And then I was thinking, right after that, “Of course he did it!” And then I was thinking “I hope no one laughs. I hope we can use this. I hope no one laughs out loud.” Because I know there’s a bunch of gigglers out there, and I thought, “I hope it’s not a ruined take that we can’t use.” But thankfully the cameras were on us, so it worked out okay”
Nunez also did not expect the scene to go as differently as it did, and his character’s reaction is also a genuine one that came out of him. Suffice it to say, he has good memories regarding the scene and reminisces it fondly.
The Legacy of The Office
The Office has gone on to become one of the most celebrated sitcoms of all time. The show’s characters have also become popular in pop culture discourse and fan conversations. New audiences continue to discover Michael Scott and his antics, keeping the show relevant for years since it ended.
All 9 seasons of The Office can be streamed on Netflix.
Sources: Screen Rant, IGN
