Jenna Fischer Reveals Amy Adams Almost Didn’t Get Cast in ‘The Office’ Because “They Looked Too Similar”

Jenna Fischer recently shared some behind-the-scenes details about The Office that reveal Amy Adams almost didn’t play Katy Moore, the charming purse saleswoman in the Season 1 episode “Hot Girl.” According to Fischer, the casting team initially hesitated to hire Adams because they thought she and Fischer looked too similar.

On her Office Ladies podcast with co-host Angela Kinsey, Fischer explained that Adams wasn’t the first person cast as Katy. The role originally went to another actress, but after filming for a day, the team decided it wasn’t the right fit.

Adams was eventually brought in to replace her. Fischer recalled how effortlessly Adams fit the part, saying, “She was so seamlessly Katy. She improvised a lot, and much of her dialogue made it into the episode.”

However, there was initial pushback about casting Adams due to her resemblance to Fischer. One writer reportedly commented, “We can’t cast her. She’s like Jenna 2.0.” Despite the concerns, Adams was ultimately chosen, and the writers embraced the similarity.

This led to a line in the episode where Michael Scott, played by Steve Carell, refers to Katy as “Pam 6.0,” a nod to the real-life casting dilemma.

Katy became a memorable character during her time on the show. In addition to her debut in “Hot Girl,” she returned for two episodes in Season 2, “The Fire” and “Booze Cruise,” as Jim Halpert’s love interest. But her romance with Jim was short-lived, as he later pursued his feelings for Pam, culminating in their wedding during Season 6’s “Niagara.”

Fischer and Kinsey discussed these details on the revamped version of their podcast, Office Ladies Second Drink, which combines episode breakdowns with new insights. The podcast has featured several Office stars as guests, including Steve Carell, John Krasinski, and Mindy Kaling.

Adams’s time on The Office marked an early moment in her career before she went on to become a Hollywood star. She’s currently earning acclaim for her role in Nightbitch, a surrealist black comedy that has garnered her another Golden Globe nomination and potential Oscar buzz.

You can listen to the whole episode here:

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