TRANSCRIPT
Office Ladies | Episode 217 – An Interview with Catherine Tate
Jenna [00:00:03] I'm Jenna Fischer.
Angela [00:00:05] And I'm Angela Kinsey.
Jenna [00:00:06] We were on The Office together.
Angela [00:00:08] And we're best friends.
Jenna [00:00:08] And now we're doing the ultimate Office rewatch podcast just for you.
Angela [00:00:12] Each week, we will break down an episode of The Office and give exclusive behind the scenes stories that only two people who were there can tell you.
Jenna [00:00:19] We're The Office Ladies. Hello!
Angela [00:00:25] Hi there. Well, we have a really fun episode today. I know we say that a lot, but this one is fantastic.
Jenna [00:00:32] This is another one that's just going to put a smile on your face the whole time.
Angela [00:00:36] It is.
Jenna [00:00:37] Here is what happened: Catherine Tate joined us in the studio for an Office Ladies interview, and it's terrific.
Angela [00:00:46] You know, we just picked up right where we left off. It was so fun to reminisce with her and catch up. She is hilarious. You are going to love hearing from her.
Jenna [00:00:56] And, you know, we all know her as Nellie on The Office, but she is such an accomplished artist. She is a writer, a director and actor, a stand up comedian. She has won several awards for her BBC sketch comedy series The Catherine Tate Show, but she also played Donna Noble in the Doctor Who series. She's been in so many movies and television shows.
Angela [00:01:19] And theater.
Jenna [00:01:20] Oh yeah! No. She won the BroadwayWorld UK Award for Best Leading Actress in a play for Much Ado About Nothing at the Wyndham's Theater, and she also got the Best Supporting actress for the Royal National Theater production of Alan Ayckbourn's Season's Greetings. And she does a live comedy show called The Catherine Tate Live Show. There's kind of nothing that this woman cannot do.
Angela [00:01:43] Oh, and she also starred as six different characters in Hard Sell.
Jenna [00:01:49] Oh, yeah.
Angela [00:01:50] A Netflix original mockumentary sitcom set in a woman's prison that she co-wrote and co-directed. And you can catch her in Queen of Oz, a sitcom she wrote and starred in as a disgraced member of a fictional British royal family sent to rural Australia. I mean, Catherine, you are so incredibly talented. My gosh.
Jenna [00:02:13] Just really how we snagged her for The Office, well, you're going to hear, but we were so fortunate. And she's also just an all around fantastic person.
Angela [00:02:23] Yeah. This might be the hardest I've laughed in an interview because she is so funny and relatable. And, you know, we cover a lot of ground in this interview. It's about her time on The Office, plus what it was like to move from London to Los Angeles and some big life moments that happened along the way.
Jenna [00:02:41] And of course, we ask her the call sheet questions. This truly was one of my favorite interviews, and I cannot wait for you all to hear it.
Angela [00:02:49] Same. So let's take a quick break. And when we come back, it's Catherine Tate.
Jenna [00:03:04] Hi, Catherine!
Catherine Tate [00:03:06] Hello! This is this is special. This is special just to be here with you two.
Jenna [00:03:11] I know.
Catherine Tate [00:03:11] In person.
Angela [00:03:12] I know.
Catherine Tate [00:03:13] It's not a phone-in.
Angela [00:03:14] It's not a phone-in. You're right here. I'm touching your arm.
Catherine Tate [00:03:16] Yes you are. Don't do that. That's a that's a court injunction right there.
Jenna [00:03:21] Now you're like, I wish this was a Zoom.
Catherine Tate [00:03:23] Oh, dear. Yeah I'm gonna go and call you from my car.
Angela [00:03:26] I didn't know they were gonna touch my forearm.
Jenna [00:03:29] Well, let's just jump right in. We're going to ask you the question we ask everyone from the top, which is, how did you get your job on The Office?
Catherine Tate [00:03:36] I got my job on The Office very, very like, fortunately and amazingly by Greg Daniels going, Would you like to be on The Office? I mean, that's pretty it's a pretty rubbish story though! It was. Do you know what? It was actually, there is sort of an origin story to it, because it was supposed to happen quite a long time before it did. I kind of just got this message to say, look, we'd really like you to be in The Office. And I was a huge fan, and I came out to Los Angeles, and I hadn't been to L.A. very much. I think I'd been once before. And it's a very, you know, it's a pretty... It's not a place that's like any other, especially if you don't come from somewhere like Los Angeles. And anyway, the story was, oh, look, we really like you to be on The Office. Do you want to come over and have a chat, see the studio and everything? So I go over to Los Angeles, and it's. It's not a scary place, but it's a it's a strange place to me. I can't even remember if it was my first time to go to L.A., or maybe just my second, but, it's a crazy place, especially if you come from somewhere like I do like London, where we walk places and public transport is an actual thing. I remember staying, I was staying at, I mean, I guess it was a bit touristy, but I was staying in sunset. What's called sunset boul-?
Jenna [00:04:57] Yeah, the strip.
Catherine Tate [00:05:00] Yeah. And I was staying at a hotel there. I was meeting someone up at the Chateau Marmont, which is not that- I could see it from where I was staying. And when I got- this is just epitomizes L.A. to me- and I walked out of the lobby and the doorman said, do you want a taxi? A cab? And I said, well, no, I'm just going up to Chateau Marmont so I can walk. And he said, oh, I wouldn't walk if I were you, ma'am. And I said, why not? He said, because people will assume something bad has happened to you. Or that you're a prostitute. If you walk along the road, they will assume that your car has broken down so you're in trouble.
Jenna [00:05:38] Try to help you.
Catherine Tate [00:05:38] Or they will assume you're touting for business.
Angela [00:05:41] I used to walk everywhere. I lived in West Hollywood and my car was crap. And I walked everywhere. And I got a phone call from my agent one day and he said, is everything okay? And I said, why? And he goes, I've repeatedly seen you walking down Santa Monica Boulevard.
Catherine Tate [00:05:55] What's happened? What's happened to you?
Angela [00:05:58] He goes, Is everything okay? I said, I just like to walk.
Catherine Tate [00:06:01] Yeah, it's not that. It's. You're toxic now. You're like. You're strange walky lady.
Jenna [00:06:06] I know this is true. And what's funny to me is that the Sunset Strip is kind of the most walkable area of Los Angeles, because there are restaurants and shops and things within walking distance of one another. Unlike most of the rest of the city which is so spread out.
Catherine Tate [00:06:24] Where you do have to drive, which I still can't, but that's I know that's one of your questions later on. Thank God for Uber, that's all I'm saying.
Angela [00:06:32] Oh my gosh, what a culture shock, though.
Catherine Tate [00:06:34] Oh, it was such a culture shock because it's also Los Angeles is not a it's not a place that gives up its secrets easily. You know, you've kind of got to be on the inside of it. You've kind of got to know people. Because, I mean, there's some places I'm just, I don't know if- but it was at the time, this is like over ten years ago- there are some places where you'd walk past. You wouldn't even know that they're restaurants. You know, it's like you got to know it's a restaurant and then you've got to sneak in, write your name on a secret piece of paper, and then in three days, they'll call you and say you can come in. You know, it's like, I just want a sandwich somewhere, you know? I just want to know where I'm going and know what, you know, I I'm very fond of it now because I'm very used to it now. But but anyway, so I go to Los Angeles, they invite me over. And I remember specifically you were on hiatus, and I guess it might have been you were on hiatus for Thanksgiving.
Jenna [00:07:23] Okay.
Catherine Tate [00:07:24] Or you had a week off and The Office was decorated for, I think it was called, was it called Moroccan Christmas?
Angela [00:07:32] Yes.
Jenna [00:07:33] Yeah.
Catherine Tate [00:07:33] So The Office was all like that. Everyone was, you know, gone. I didn't meet anyone. I sat really bizarrely- I, he said you want to come in? And he got me to sit in Michael Scott's chair. And I was there sitting.
Angela [00:07:47] Oh my gosh.
Catherine Tate [00:07:48] I was like, Oh my god. And I took this little photo. I thought, I couldn't believe because I didn't know anything about what he had planned. And, we were talking about it and he said, well, look, this is my idea. I've got an idea for you to come in. And he said, it won't happen yet because I've got a show that I'm gonna want to start up and running. And I think it was Parks and Rec.
Angela [00:08:07] Right.
Jenna [00:08:08] Wow.
Catherine Tate [00:08:08] Yeah. But he said to me, this is my idea. And he said, you know, the character of Angela? And and it was around about the time that Angela and Andy were getting together.
Angela [00:08:21] Yeah.
Catherine Tate [00:08:22] And at the time, his idea, his nucleus of an idea at the time was for a character- now, whether or not it developed into Nellie, I don't know. I don't know when that happens- he said, But I would like you to come in and disrupt their relationship.
Angela [00:08:39] Oh, we would have had a love triangle?
Catherine Tate [00:08:41] I know!
Jenna [00:08:41] Oh, wow.
Catherine Tate [00:08:43] Yeah, yeah. I'm certain that's what he kind of had in mind. Anyway, that was a good few years before I joined. And then I guess Parks and Rec really took off. Took off, and then it just sort of kind of went quiet. And then I just didn't think anything of it anymore. You know, I was just like, held on to it, but you don't want to keep chasing. And then honestly and then it was good a couple of years later, they then went, definitely, we do want you to come over now. And all I knew was that Steve was leaving and that they were kind of- it was almost like the way I got introduced, it was almost like it was an interview on camera. It was an audition on camera. You know what I mean?
Jenna [00:09:20] Yeah. The whole Search Party episode.
Catherine Tate [00:09:23] Yeah. And then I found out the day after, because I came in and filmed, I flew over because I remember I was doing a play at the time, and they let me off for a couple of days to come out in rehearsal, come over and film those scenes. And I remember the last- the second day that I filmed, I came home, my agent rang and said, you want to go out to dinner? And then he said, they've given you the job.
Jenna [00:09:46] oh my gosh!
Catherine Tate [00:09:49] Yeah, they've given you the job. But I wasn't free. I wasn't free for when you started filming again. And I was starting to be free for the last ten episodes. And that's how Nellie came in. Now, whether or not had I been free, I could have started straight away, I don't know. Yeah. It was pretty exciting.
Angela [00:10:07] Wow.
Catherine Tate [00:10:07] Pretty exciting.
Jenna [00:10:08] Well, I want to talk about how Nellie does come in. It's in the episode Tallahassee. And it is one of my favorite speeches that you give. We have a clip. I'm going to play it.
Catherine Tate [00:10:18] Right.
Nellie [00:10:19] Say, So who's leading this thing anyway?
Ryan [00:10:23] So who's leading this thing anyway?
Nellie [00:10:28] Say, I can't wait to meet him.
Ryan [00:10:31] I can't wait to meet him.
Nellie [00:10:33] Him you say? Don't think a woman can be a leader?
Ryan [00:10:39] Oh. Uh. I...
Nellie [00:10:42] You poor, simple boy. Expected a man, did you? Strong. Powerful. Huge whopping penis! Well, sorry to disappoint, but my huge, whopping penis is right here, and I'm not afraid to use it.
Catherine Tate [00:10:56] Do you know, that is a quote I most get asked to write on a photo.
Angela [00:11:05] No!
Catherine Tate [00:11:05] Like, sometimes because Comic-Con is because I was in a sci fi show and I get a lot of Office fans. They come up, they go, could you put a quote? And I go, is it the penis one? And they go, Yeah!
Jenna [00:11:16] I if I'm ever asked to do like a commencement address at a university, I want to lead with that quote and see how many people out there know what I'm doing.
Catherine Tate [00:11:27] Right, right, right, right.
Jenna [00:11:28] It's a big swing, but I'm going to take it.
Catherine Tate [00:11:30] It's a good one.
Jenna [00:11:31] In that episode, you came in and you were front and center right away. What was that like?
Catherine Tate [00:11:37] Oh, it was pretty nerve wracking, I have to say, because, those episodes being filmed, there were kind of split episodes because half the cast was supposed to be in Tallahassee. And half the cast back in the office. So I didn't join with everyone.
Jenna [00:11:51] Or in the bullpen.
Catherine Tate [00:11:53] Or in the bullpen or anywhere where I was familiar with anyone from The Office. And I remember my first day I started, no one knew I was starting.
Angela [00:12:01] Oh, gosh.
Catherine Tate [00:12:02] No one knew I was starting. So I was kind of like, I think I'm, I'm I'm sure they've got me a trailer, but maybe not. I don't know. I don't know how long I'm staying. And I think maybe I found Steve Burgess, but I didn't know who he was. And I was like, Hi, I've come to join The Office. And he said, Oh, hello. Yes. And because I knew Emily, and John was in the, the cast that were in Tallahassee, there was there was a sort of point of contact there. So that was great. But I also remember- you remember the lovely caterers?
Angela [00:12:36] Yes.
Catherine Tate [00:12:36] The lovely caterers. Well, they didn't know who I was and they sent to me when I was queuing up, you know, now, this is this is for the cast from The Office and I said, no, no, I'm from The Office. I've just joined today. And they goes, you work in The Office? And I go, yeah, they seemed I meant production offices. And they wouldn't give me any food.
Jenna [00:13:00] They're like, this is cast only.
Catherine Tate [00:13:02] I'm like, yeah, this- Now, this is for the program, The Office. And I said, no, no, no, I'm in it. And I and because of course I'm wearing kind of office gear, you know, we wore office gear, but I was so unfamiliar to them. And for ages I used to.... It took a while for craft services as well. For a while I used to have to get Craig Robinson to go and get me a bagel, because they wouldn't let me open the cream cheese. And then when they finally- because it was a while before I was then on the TV, wasn't it because you film a few- a few episodes ahead. And then when I started appearing on the TV, they were so lovely to me, but they genuinely thought I was a typist trying to chance my arm in for a free meal.
Jenna [00:13:49] I did not realize they were so protective of our food.
Catherine Tate [00:13:52] They were very protective and very, very lovely. Very, very. And then for a while, I think they kind of used to just go, oh, let her have it. Let her have it.
Angela [00:14:00] It's the lady from the production office. She keeps coming down.
Catherine Tate [00:14:04] She keeps coming down for the oatmeal in the morning. Let her have it. We've left her some. So it was, to your question, Jenna, it was nerve wracking. Because I wasn't just snuck in or introduced. I was just right there. And then she was a brash, in-your-face, very, nuanced kind of character, you know, at the beginning, you know, which is why I do love the way the softer side came in. But yeah, I just had to kind of like...
Angela [00:14:30] Go for it.
Catherine Tate [00:14:31] Go for it, you know? Just, like, hold my breath and go, okay, well, here we go! Take a swing, you know?
Angela [00:14:36] Well, I want to say, Nellie had a lot of amazing speeches, and I have my favorite. It's from the Lice episode.
Catherine Tate [00:14:45] Oh, God, when- do you know when I was in the makeup truck, I walked in to the makeup truck, genuinely thought they'd shaved Meredith's hair.
Angela [00:14:53] Oh, no!
Jenna [00:14:55] It was so good.
Catherine Tate [00:14:56] Yes. Genuinely. It was extraordinary. I remember pulling aside, going, you know, you didn't have to do that. I mean, we would have stood up for you. For God's sake, Kate. You know what I mean?
Angela [00:15:05] They really did ask her to, though. That's the crazy thing.
Catherine Tate [00:15:06] Did they!? That was maybe what it was then! Oh, maybe that's what it was. And I'm just going, you don't have to do that. You don't have to. And then when I walked in, I thought, oh, she's capitulated.
Angela [00:15:16] Okay. Here we have to watch this one.
Meredith [00:15:19] Is that all?
Nellie [00:15:20] No, no, that is not all. Let me tell you what real life is like. The men dry up and the nights get lonely. The only calls on your machine are from collection agencies about that pair of motorcycle boots you've never even worn. You stalk your old high school boyfriend online, go to his daughter soccer games and make a scene. You buy a diamond ring for yourself. Wear it on your right hand and tell yourself you're all you need. One day you're alone, tired at your feet, a dying bird. Where did it come from? Why did you kill it? Is it because in some strange way, it is you?
Val [00:15:54] Thank you all for your concern.
Angela [00:15:59] That is on e of the best speeches!
Catherine Tate [00:16:02] Yeah, that was a good one. That was funny.
Angela [00:16:04] You're so good.
Catherine Tate [00:16:04] Aw. But that's the writing as well. I mean, we had gifts, didn't we? Every day we had gifts of writing.
Jenna [00:16:10] During our rewatch, I would see how you were delivering material, and I thought, she must be improvising that or something. Like it was so well delivered. And I'd go to the script and it was like, scripted for you. And the two hander of what they were giving you and how you were delivering it was just chef's kiss.
Catherine Tate [00:16:31] Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Jenna [00:16:33] Love it.
Angela [00:16:33] Yes, we have just grown to love the character of Nellie so much. And we're seeing these episodes for the first time. I you know, I haven't seen them since they aired. And what a delicious, like crazy, wonderful lady.
Catherine Tate [00:16:46] Definitely. Oh, gosh, I love her. I mean, I do get a lot- in America it's definitely what people know me for. I mean, I'm bowled over by the fact that it came off air- well off NBC, like over ten years ago. But it is- I don't know whether it was Covid. People watched as like a comfort show, but people watch it on repeat it seems. You know, the amount of people who go, I just have it in the background and I love it. And I get to the end and then I start again. So I'm recognized a lot as Nellie. But I do get this a lot. Oh my God, are you Nellie? I hate your character! Hahaha. I get that a lot at airports, people go, they hate-I hate your character.
Jenna [00:17:29] They're so delighted to tell you!
Catherine Tate [00:17:31] They go, You're so good. You're so good. But I hate her! Because she is, you know, yeah, she's pretty in your face. And...
Jenna [00:17:39] Well, speaking of, reviewers of The Office have written that the character of Nellie had some of the boldest moves at Dunder Mifflin. And Angela, you made a list.
Angela [00:17:48] I did make a list.
Catherine Tate [00:17:50] Checking it twice.
Angela [00:17:51] Here we go. She literally took someone's job because they didn't show up for work.
Catherine Tate [00:17:56] Right. If the chair is open, the job is open.
Angela [00:17:58] That's right. She kissed Toby to make him stop talking. She told Andy that he was related to Michelle Obama. She pretended to interview Dwight on the radio. Oh, that episode is so great.
Jenna [00:18:14] That's so great.
Angela [00:18:16] She set up Erin and Pete. And spoiler alert, she's going to take Ryan's baby.
Jenna [00:18:22] Did you have a favorite Nellie storyline?
Catherine Tate [00:18:26] I have to say, the one thing I thought was going to sort of like, conclude was me and Toby.
Jenna [00:18:32] Did you think you would maybe end up together?
Catherine Tate [00:18:34] I kind of did, because we shot a lot of stuff that didn't get used, you know, because we shot stuff that just, you know, you have the luxury of shooting stuff, and, and then, of course, you've only got, you know, 20 odd minutes in the, in the show. But like, for example, this is the other thing that I get a lot, which I really chef's kiss to the people who cosplay me as Sexy Toby.
Angela [00:18:56] Yes, yes! It's amazing!
Catherine Tate [00:18:58] Sexy Toby. It's so funny. And they do it because what's so funny- and I've watched the episode since, because my daughter is a huge Office fan as so many young people are now. Huge, huge. I've only now got proper, you know, kudos from being in The Office. She was too young when I was doing it. And I've been watching it with her because she genuinely loves it. And I don't remember- they kind of got me like a joke wig. It's almost like a Frankenstein- it was, it was a Frankenstein wig. And I, because your eye is always drawn to yourself on screen when you know what was going on in your head at the time. And they didn't pull away enough in time for me. I'm tugging- we're sitting in The Office room, you know, in the break- not the breakroom, the conference room, whatever it is. And I'm tugging at this- at this wig, trying to get it to cover my forehead. But I, I guess I would've- I did love the Toby storyline because it was such fun working with Paul. And I did. I kind of thought it would be funny for them. I just, I just have to say the character of Toby, I just think the idea of having someone so, so inoffensive that someone hates, you know, because Steve's character hated him so much and there was nothing to hate about. I just think it's so funny and no explanation. I just hate you. It is very funny. But that says a lot about me.
Angela [00:20:22] Well, I have a great photo of us. I need to send it to you. We're on set.
Catherine Tate [00:20:25] Are you Nancy Reagan?
Angela [00:20:26] Yes.
Catherine Tate [00:20:28] And Erin as the dog?
Angela [00:20:29] Yes.
Catherine Tate [00:20:29] Yes, I've got it too!
Angela [00:20:30] Oh good good good.
Catherine Tate [00:20:31] You must have sent it to me.
Angela [00:20:33] I have a bunch from that day. I guess I just got...
Catherine Tate [00:20:36] So funny.
Angela [00:20:36] And then, I have to tell you, speaking of daughters that love The Office, when I told my daughter that we were talking to you today, she goes, Mom, what are you doing? I was like, oh, you know, Catherine's coming in. She goes, Get out, skeleton man!
Catherine Tate [00:20:49] Oh yes!
Angela [00:20:50] She yelled from the hallway.
Catherine Tate [00:20:53] That is another- I would say that's number two in what I'm asked to sign. Get out, skeleton man. I mean.
Angela [00:21:01] My teenager yelled it down the hallway.
Jenna [00:21:04] Has the fact that The Office, the American Office, is now on Netflix in the UK, has that shifted things over there for you in terms of being recognized for Nellie? Because, I mean, I was telling Angela, I can't believe we get to interview you today. You're like the Carol Burnett of London. Of England.
Catherine Tate [00:21:22] That's very nice.
Jenna [00:21:25] It's like over here, we know you for The Office.
Catherine Tate [00:21:26] Sure. Of course.
Jenna [00:21:27] But over there, you're this whole other phenomenon. But has that changed at all?
Angela [00:21:32] I had been watching your sketch show even before you came on the show. So we were- we were fans.
Catherine Tate [00:21:35] Oh, bless you. To be honest, I think The Office, I was amazed. It wasn't on. It was kind of like on a little cable show before it came on Netflix at home. So not that many people had seen the American Office at home. But suddenly, and it must be Netflix, everyone watches it. But I don't know. I just think the young people caught on to it early. The younger people caught on to it earlier. But yeah, it definitely has. I definitely get recognized much more now for The Office. Yeah. Must be Netflix. Yeah.
Angela [00:22:09] I have to ask you about the scene and fundraiser where Nellie doesn't know how to eat a taco?
Catherine Tate [00:22:18] Oh, God. I remember the spit bucket that I had to have for that. They were so- and they were also- they were so- I don't I don't know if they- No, they must have known because they were always so good, weren't they? About, art department, props and stuff about- because I didn't eat meat. And so they made, like, you know, the whatever it was, the pretend meat stuff. But even so, there's only so many tacos you can slide sideways into your mouth and then have to keep doing it. You know, but there was a big uh- and I remember it because you start by being really respectful of like, I'm spitting something out. Sorry. But at the end I was literally spitting it down in front of Craig, spitting it out in front of him.
Angela [00:22:59] Yeah, I was wondering how many of those you had to eat.
Catherine Tate [00:23:01] It was a lot. Yeah. Yeah.
Angela [00:23:05] Oh gosh. Well, had you had you had had a taco.
Catherine Tate [00:23:07] No, I'd never had a taco.
Angela [00:23:08] For real?!
Catherine Tate [00:23:10] Yeah.
Jenna [00:23:10] Wait.
Angela [00:23:11] So when you did this scene, that was your actual first taco? Oh my gosh.
Catherine Tate [00:23:17] I mean, I had heard of them. I knew they didn't have eyes. I'd never eaten a taco.
Jenna [00:23:23] Is it not a thing?
Catherine Tate [00:23:25] It's not as big at home. No, it's becoming so now. But at the time, no. No. And now Mexican food, my, like my daughter absolutely- it's her favorite food is Mexican food. But we sort of have to wait till we come here to get really, well, better than we get at home anyway.
Jenna [00:23:40] Yes, sure.
Catherine Tate [00:23:41] Actually, they're going to Mexico, so they're going to get some really good tacos.
Angela [00:23:45] I can't believe. There's a lot of moments, I guess, on the show where it was your real life too.
Catherine Tate [00:23:49] My real life. Yeah.
Angela [00:23:50] Can't drive. Don't know what a taco is.
Jenna [00:23:53] Yeah. Let's talk about can't drive.
Catherine Tate [00:23:55] Yeah, I know. Isn't that crazy? I astound myself sometimes. I sometimes wake up and go, it's absolutely ridiculous that you can't drive. It's ridiculous.
Jenna [00:24:03] Well, I wasn't surprised that you couldn't drive when you were doing the show because, you know, you were visiting.
Catherine Tate [00:24:09] Sure.
Jenna [00:24:10] And it's true. I, I lived in London for a period of time, and I had no car, and it was absolutely not a problem.
Catherine Tate [00:24:16] It wasn't that you couldn't.
Jenna [00:24:17] That's true. I could've- well, I don't know, because then I'd be on the other side. And I don't think we want that. But so you had to kind of learn how to drive to do our scenes. I know they put the car on-.
Catherine Tate [00:24:30] They put it on a rig, didn't they?
Jenna [00:24:31] Yes. It was. What episode was that? That was Andy's Ancestry.
Catherine Tate [00:24:35] Right.
Jenna [00:24:35] They put it on a rig, and then they also, I remember they wanted you to eat a salad.
Catherine Tate [00:24:41] That's right.
Jenna [00:24:42] So it's.
Angela [00:24:43] It's a- it was a big salad, too!
Catherine Tate [00:24:43] And I never had a salad before. No.
Angela [00:24:49] The salad is almost the size of the whole console. It's huge.
Jenna [00:24:52] Yes. But then there was a moment where there were a couple of things where- and they didn't even make them in the episode. I don't know why, but they said, you know what? We got this dead end street and we're going to need you to actually drive a little bit. I wish I had footage of it. Catherine, I was legitimately scared. I had a hard time performing because I was like, we are going to hit a curb. We're going to hit- I know they've cleared the street. I know it's a dead end, but I did not have full confidence that we weren't going to end up in a lawn.
Catherine Tate [00:25:25] Right.
Jenna [00:25:27] It was so funny to me though, like it was....
Catherine Tate [00:25:29] Considering how usually very, very on it they are in terms of insurance.
Jenna [00:25:35] Yes. Right?
Angela [00:25:36] Yes. Safety meeting!
Catherine Tate [00:25:39] To suddenly go, yeah, okay. Have a go. We might catch something.
Jenna [00:25:43] Yes. That's what it was!
Catherine Tate [00:25:44] You know, we might get lucky. She might do it.
Jenna [00:25:47] It was such method acting for me because.
Angela [00:25:50] You were truly terrified.
Jenna [00:25:51] They really put me in a car with someone who could not drive it.
Catherine Tate [00:25:54] Could not drive.
Jenna [00:25:54] Yeah, it was so fun.
Catherine Tate [00:25:56] Yeah, well, that's your definition of fun.
Angela [00:25:59] So, wait. Does everyone in your family drive but you?
Catherine Tate [00:26:02] Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Actually, my daughter doesn't actually. She's following. She's following my footsteps as I'm following my mom's footsteps. My mom didn't pass her test til she was in her 50s, so. I mean, I'm on track. No, but here, well, everywhere now it's so much easier. But when I was living here and doing The Office, I don't know if you know this, but I was the only person who arrived on set with a driver.
Both [00:26:30] I do remember!
Angela [00:26:31] I do remember.
Catherine Tate [00:26:33] Because at the time, Ubers weren't really a thing as much as they- sort of like some people knew about them, but you couldn't rely on them. And I had my driver, Sandy, who looked like Father Christmas, and he turned up. And that was the other thing that I kind of felt set me apart a little. It's like, she's turning up with a fancy driver, and it's just cuz I'm too stupid to drive.
Jenna [00:26:54] But that's a thing on movies and other shows.
Catherine Tate [00:26:56] It's a thing. You get driven.
Jenna [00:26:58] And it's because they really don't trust the actors to get themselves there. They don't trust you to wake up on time. They send someone to knock on your door and get you in a car on time so that you are on time. It's a whole time management thing on sets. But on The Office we never got that.
Catherine Tate [00:27:16] But it's on all TV here, isn't it? Isn't it a union thing or it's a just a or it's just a culture thing. Or maybe I'm wrong about that. Because I know another friend of mine, she was on a TV show here. Assumed she would be driven, but wasn't.
Angela [00:27:30] No. I've always driven myself for TV.
Jenna [00:27:33] For TV. Yeah, you're right, you're right. That's true.
Catherine Tate [00:27:36] But film, it's like, what's the difference? Do they just think TV actors are much more reliable than film actors?
Jenna [00:27:43] They might be.
Catherine Tate [00:27:44] Might be what it is. Film actors, they're crazy movie stars. They're never gonna get here. But the TV actors. They're the meat and veg of the industry.
Angela [00:27:51] That's right. TV actors. It's like we're here for 24 weeks maybe.
Catherine Tate [00:27:56] Right? Right.
Angela [00:27:56] Movie actor you might be in there for like three days.
Catherine Tate [00:27:58] Exactly.
Angela [00:27:59] Who knows if he's going to show up.
Catherine Tate [00:28:00] Send them a car.
Angela [00:28:01] Yeah.
Catherine Tate [00:28:01] But at home, interestingly film, TV, anything commercial, they don't trust you to do anything.
Jenna [00:28:07] Always a driver.
Catherine Tate [00:28:08] Always. Always send you a driver. Always sent you a driver or a cab. Yeah. Never expected. I mean, we are not trusted one bit at home. So kudos to the TV industry here for, for giving you all such a confidence boost.
Angela [00:28:22] Get your ass to work. Okay, so Nellie has a lot of interesting romances. It starts off with this weird kind of Dwight/ Todd Packer thing in Tallahassee, and I found a blooper of the three of you.
Catherine Tate [00:28:40] Oh, really?
Angela [00:28:41] Yeah. So Todd Packer is really trying to impress Nellie. And Dwight competing for her in his own way, pretends to sleep and snore and does this heavy breathing thing. And the three of you could not get through it.
Catherine Tate [00:28:55] Oh, really?
Angela [00:28:55] I was going to show it to you.
Todd Packer [00:28:57] The nightlife in Tallahassee is killer. Yeah, but I got to tell you, since my move to Florida, I really got... (LAUGHTER)
Rainn Wilson [00:29:10] Like a Narwal.
David Koechner [00:29:13] Someone in their death throws! Oh, Jesus.
Angela [00:29:20] You guys just got so tickled. And it just delights me. I love watching the bloopers. I love seeing how much fun we had. Was there a scene that was difficult for you to get through that stands out?
Catherine Tate [00:29:31] I really remember, and I've got a feeling it was the scene- you know when Andy comes in after being the janitor. And he comes in and he talks about David Wallace has told him something and everyone's assuming he's hearing voices. And we're doing, Oh, do you see David Wallace in there? I remember that. And I remember the person for me who sticks out the most is John being a beast because John would be crying, laughing. And it would be your shot and he would just be doing this.
Jenna [00:30:02] He would be doing the shoulders! Yeah!
Catherine Tate [00:30:07] Yeah. The shoulders. And you just got to carry on. And then I remember that particular scene crying with laughter about doing that. And I think that I probably buried my head somewhere so that you can't see me.
Jenna [00:30:21] Would you ladies be okay if we took a break so I can use the potty? And then we'll come right back and maybe talk about Work Bus.
Angela [00:30:28] Yes. Oh, we have to talk about work bus.
Jenna [00:30:31] Ohhhhh! Death bus.
Angela [00:30:31] Yes. All right.
Jenna [00:30:33] One moment.
Angela [00:30:34] Quick break.
Jenna [00:30:46] All right. Should we talk about Work Bus?
Catherine Tate [00:30:49] Yeah. Oh my god, Jenna.
Jenna [00:30:50] Because you were on the bus.
Catherine Tate [00:30:52] And I thankfully managed to get off it. As we all did. But, Jenna, that episode. I remember it so distinctly, and that's one of the episodes that I look at. And every time I watch it and I say to my daughter, right there, right there, because they had nothing to cut away to. They kind of had to use the footage. Do you remember of when we just veered off?
Jenna [00:31:13] Yes!
Angela [00:31:13] Yes. And we all slammed into each other!
Catherine Tate [00:31:14] We all slid into each other! And I just have this image of just Ellie careering towards me in her in, in her wheelchair. Roller chair. And me going to the down the steps. I mean, it was absolutely extraordinary.
Angela [00:31:30] It's crazy.
Catherine Tate [00:31:32] And you remember when- I mean, we were so dramatic, but we did actually, the window smashed and Creed fell down and kind of pranked, and we didn't know if he was okay. Do you remember that?
Jenna [00:31:42] I don't remember that!
Catherine Tate [00:31:42] Oh my God, I do remember. It was- we thought something had happened to Creed, but he was just lying there.
Angela [00:31:47] He was on the bottom.
Catherine Tate [00:31:49] And he had been knocked over, and he was covered in glass. And, that was a wild, wild episode.
Angela [00:31:57] Oh, well. I remember after that- we've talked about this. We were all like, that's the craziest thing that's going to happen to us today, is that we went all piled on top of each other, and then Jenna is the one that was like, do you guys smell something? And I was in the front and I was like, I don't smell anything. And then she says, everyone's like, oh, classic Jenna.
Catherine Tate [00:32:19] Yeah, yeah I do, yeah.
Angela [00:32:21] With her sinuses and her allergies smells something. But then we were all breathing in carbon monoxide.
Catherine Tate [00:32:29] I remember why- I remember you start because you were kind of, like, in the middle or towards the back. I was down the front. I was down the front. But I do remember you going, come and sm- Please guys. Please come smell. Come and smell. And I remember as people go oh like this- And I remember walking down and I remember you going, thank you for validating me. And I'm standing there going, oh, I'll smell it for you, Jenna. And then I'm like, no, actually I can smell something. But I do remember you going- Because she was - people were acting as if you were a mad person.
Jenna [00:33:01] Yes they were.
Angela [00:33:03] I was one of them. I was like, Jenna, it's fine.
Catherine Tate [00:33:05] It's fine. We've all had a crash. What else is going to happen? Of course, that's not dislodged anything, you know, in whatever it was. Oh, it was crazy.
Angela [00:33:15] The AC, we were so hot. They put the intake for the AC right by the- it was picking up the exhaust and blowing the exhaust in this moving tin can.
Catherine Tate [00:33:24] Oh my goodness.
Jenna [00:33:26] Yeah.
Catherine Tate [00:33:26] That was really crazy.
Jenna [00:33:28] It was really really crazy. But then we did get to eat pie. And I also have a very vivid memory of my pie being delicious.
Catherine Tate [00:33:37] Yes. It was good pie.
Angela [00:33:39] I have a great picture of us like there was by Laverne's pies and tires.
Jenna [00:33:44] Tires fixed also.
Angela [00:33:45] Tires fixed also. There was an old timey truck and me, you and Kate did like we sort of posed like sexy.
Catherine Tate [00:33:55] Were we trying to be sexy land girls or something?
Angela [00:33:57] I know.
Catherine Tate [00:33:58] Oh, you've got to send me that. I hadn't thought about that in years but I do remember.
Angela [00:34:00] It's really funny. I was like, what?
Catherine Tate [00:34:02] It's like this old rust iron kind of truck.
Angela [00:34:04] And we're trying to look seductive. Leaning up on it.
Catherine Tate [00:34:10] Thinking we'll get our spin off show.
Angela [00:34:12] Exactly.
Catherine Tate [00:34:13] Sexy landladies.
Jenna [00:34:17] You talked earlier about Nellie's softer side, and I have really enjoyed that. I love her friendship with Pam.
Catherine Tate [00:34:25] Yes.
Jenna [00:34:25] And I just watched the episode Stairmageddon, where she kind of serves as Pam's surrogate counselor.
Catherine Tate [00:34:33] Yeah, yeah.
Jenna [00:34:34] And I just loved those scenes. I love her desire to adopt that whole journey and her tenderness toward Erin. And also even how she's so kind to Dwight when he's feeling anxious in that Christmas episode. Can you talk a little bit about her softer side?
Catherine Tate [00:34:51] Yeah, I thought it was a really, you know, it's a really nice to have a counterpoint and a balance. And also just as an actor, to not just come out and be so outrageous, you know, that you can ground the character in a in, in a bit of, a bit of reality and make her someone that she wouldn't be so obnoxious to spend a bit of time with, you know?
Angela [00:35:10] Yeah.
Catherine Tate [00:35:10] So it was really nice to yeah, to do that. I did love it because I used to, you know, sometimes go, really? Should she say this? You know? Should she say this kind of stuff? And they'd be like, yeah no. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, she's British or whatever. But it was. Yeah. It was such a nice thing to make her fully rounded and, and also that she, as you say, spoiler alert, then she gets her baby. She, she gets a baby anyway. She doesn't get her baby. She gets a baby.
Angela [00:35:38] She's so happy to get that baby, too.
Catherine Tate [00:35:40] Oh I know, I know. Yeah. Very cute. Very lovely. And yeah, it's just it's just nice to flex a different muscle, isn't it, when you're in like the tapestry of a show like that and you're used to just turning up and doing one thing, it's really nice to to do something else.
Angela [00:35:55] I loved it when I got to be a different shade of bitch. So it's just not always the same.
Catherine Tate [00:35:58] Right, right, right. Yeah. No it is. I mean, yeah.
Jenna [00:36:05] When you think back on your time on The Office, what kind of memory comes up for you the most?
Catherine Tate [00:36:12] I guess it's genuinely having the feeling of, you know when there's certain times in your life, not even- they're fleeting moments. Because I think we're as humans, we're essentially quite selfish and self-involved. But I remember dropping my daughter sometimes, dropping my daughter off to school in America, in Los Angeles, and we were living there, and my mom was living with me. She'd moved over and everything was good. And I remember then going, and now I'm going to go and work on The Office. And I just remember having a really crystallized moment of gratitude and appreciation. And it's kind of because the show is so loved by people, you can dip into that every day, can't you? Because you go, oh my God, for a tiny little part, and coasting on the coattails of all of you people that were there and set up and everything. And I was so privileged and honored to just come in and coast on the coattails of this fantastic show with this fantastic cast. But I used to really just go- it was one of those pinch me moments, because it was the only time I've ever watched a show and then been in it. Watched a show, loved it, been obsessed by it, and then been in it. And you don't- that kind of doesn't often happen. You know, and so I guess I've brought away this tiny little piece of being part of something so much bigger than my own career. You know what I mean? I'm a tiny little part in this institution. And so that's a kind of more philosophical thing. I didn't nick anything. I didn't steal anything.
Angela [00:37:41] You didn't take anything at the end?
Catherine Tate [00:37:42] No, no, I listened to you all, and you're going, we took so much stuff. And Phyllis didn't get her best bushiest beaver thing. But. Yeah, but I didn't take anything.
Jenna [00:37:51] Nothing?
Catherine Tate [00:37:52] I took nothing. But you know what? I found this out about two years ago. They did some job lot, I guess, auctioned stuff from the props, right?
Angela [00:38:00] Yes.
Catherine Tate [00:38:03] One of the things they were selling was my notebook, I guess.
Jenna [00:38:09] What?
Catherine Tate [00:38:10] Like a notebook from Nellie's desk notebook.
Jenna [00:38:14] But did it have your real scribbles in it?
Catherine Tate [00:38:15] Yes. It had my real scribbles in it, and, it had on it... And because we went online and looked as I was like, oh, my God, you better- I said to my husband, you better buy that, because can you imagine... Imagine if I'm going, oh, I'm so bored. You know, I don't know what I didn't know what I was going to say. And we looked online and, you know, one of the things we could zoom in and say was an address.
Angela [00:38:43] Oh, no.
Catherine Tate [00:38:44] It was an address, and do you knowm what it was? It was the place of our first date. Isn't that crazy?
Jenna [00:38:53] Like you had written it.
Catherine Tate [00:38:54] I'd written down. He was. And this is when we were friends. We were just friends, as I shouldn't say date, but I remember the the time and him going, oh, do you want to? Because he's a writer. And I was like, oh, I'm writing this show. Do you want to do. And because was a dad from the school and blah blah blah. And I remember we met at this Tex-Mex place and I still didn't eat a taco. I was like I'll have a salad.
Angela [00:39:19] That is so amazing. That is that moment in time.
Catherine Tate [00:39:23] It had the Tex-Mex address like 8 p.m.. Isn't that funny?
Jenna [00:39:28] That is so crazy. Your first meeting.
Angela [00:39:33] Did you get the book?
Catherine Tate [00:39:34] No, he wouldn't bit enough for it.
Jenna [00:39:38] Were you surprised when you came on the show how much background work we had to do? How much you had to sit in the background of other people's stuff?
Catherine Tate [00:39:45] Yes! Oh my God, yes.
Jenna [00:39:46] Did anyone warn you?
Catherine Tate [00:39:47] No! I did not know.
Angela [00:39:50] We were there all the time.
Catherine Tate [00:39:51] All the time. But of course, that's what made the show, because we felt like we lived there and we worked there and we were these people. And actually, it would have been such a different experience if all you did was these isolated scenes.
Angela [00:40:03] Oh, for sure.
Catherine Tate [00:40:04] It would have just not been the same. But at the time it literally- And because a lot of the time I was with Stanley and Phyllis. And I remember her saying, which is true, you know, she always just had her sides in her desk.
Angela [00:40:15] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Catherine Tate [00:40:17] They would always, they would get me into these habits of going, you just just, you know, just put the sweets in your desk. The candies. And they fill up their thing with Coke.
Angela [00:40:28] Yeah. I would go over to Phyllis's desk, open her drawer, look at her sides and grab a Tootsie roll.
Catherine Tate [00:40:34] Right, right, right, right. Oh. So good. Yeah. So good. And I guess. Yeah. The other thing I took from The Office was what I didn't expect when I left The Office was that I have an American life now because I met my husband, not at The Office, but I met my husband because I was over here living during that time. And it wasn't till, you know, years later we got together. But had I not got that job and lived in that place and my daughter gone to that school.
Angela [00:41:01] Yeah.
Catherine Tate [00:41:01] Crazy.
Angela [00:41:03] Yeah, it's meant to be.
Catherine Tate [00:41:04] I know.
Angela [00:41:05] Meant to be.
Jenna [00:41:06] Angela, do you want to ask your call sheet questions?
Angela [00:41:08] I do, I love them so much. So here we go.
Catherine Tate [00:41:12] Okay.
Angela [00:41:12] Number one, what was your first entertainment job?
Catherine Tate [00:41:17] Meaning the one I got paid for?
Both [00:41:20] Sure, sure.
Catherine Tate [00:41:21] Or just the one I found most entertaining.
Angela [00:41:23] Your first one in entertainment.
Catherine Tate [00:41:26] Yeah, I think it would have been on a show before I went to college. And it was a sitcom called Surgical Spirit. And I was someone's girlfriend, like the mom in it had a son, and I was his girlfriend. I think that's the thing I would have got my first paycheck from.
Angela [00:41:45] And how old were you?
Catherine Tate [00:41:46] I would have been, like 18.
Jenna [00:41:48] Oh, wow. And did you already know entertainment was what you wanted to do with your life at that point?
Catherine Tate [00:41:52] I definitely did because I deferred a year when I got into drama school, so I had a whole year before I knew I was going, and this was the summer before. So I like walked into college with like...
Angela [00:42:03] TV credit.
Catherine Tate [00:42:04] Yeah, I've been on the television.
Angela [00:42:06] A little swagger.
Jenna [00:42:09] You barely need it.
Catherine Tate [00:42:10] I mean, what can you tell me in your three year course?
Jenna [00:42:12] Yeah, I've done it all.
Angela [00:42:15] All right, next question. Do you speak any other languages?
Catherine Tate [00:42:20] (SPEAKS IN FRENCH) (SPEAKS IN SPANISH) (SPEAKS IN ITALIAN)
Jenna [00:42:28] Ohhh.
Angela [00:42:29] Oh! That was wonderful!
Jenna [00:42:32] How did you come to speak so many languages?
Catherine Tate [00:42:34] Well, do you know what it was? I think it comes back to wanting to be an actor, because I realized I like to do voices. And I also realized that I was able to pick up languages very quickly, because I was able to imitate the accent quite quickly. It boosted me because people thought I could speak better than I could, and it boosted me to do better, actually, than I than I did. But, French, I speak pretty fluently because I studied in France and lived in France. I lived in Spain for a bit because I was a, a nanny when I was about 19. I was a nanny in Madrid, and I used to have an Italian boyfriend. And because if you've got one of the sort of those languages, they kind of branch off pretty quick, especially Spanish and Italian. If you're learning them, it's it's kind of easy to see the pieces, but I've just got that brain for sort of languages, in a way that I don't have a brain for like maths or indeed driving.
Angela [00:43:29] Oh my gosh, I love languages.
Catherine Tate [00:43:29] I'm not spatially aware. But yeah, I can pick up a language.
Angela [00:43:32] All right. Question number three. What's a place you've been to that you absolutely loved?
Catherine Tate [00:43:39] Oh my goodness. There's there's a lot there's a lot there's a lot. I have to say, New Zealand is pretty amazing. And I also love I love Australia. I really do love Australia. Sydney is quite fantastic as a city. It's really just beautiful and it's just sort of got my heart. Bondi Beach has got my heart, which is extraordinary for someone who is pale and ginger and would never go swimming, you know, before 9:00 at night or, you know, after 5:00 in the morning. Great times to avoid sharks. Feeding time for the sharks. Feeding time.
Angela [00:44:17] Bondi Beach is my friend's absolute favorite place.
Catherine Tate [00:44:19] Yeah, it's really, genuinely got my heart in a way that I never thought it did. And I've, you know, I've been to some, some really fantastic places, but I think properly what has your heart is it's Bondi. Yeah.
Jenna [00:44:32] Did you go there on holiday or work or how did you find it?
Catherine Tate [00:44:35] No, I've been there for work a couple of times. Because what I didn't realize, I wish someone had told me- I wish someone had told me years and years ago that I was pretty well known in Australia and New Zealand, I had genuinely no idea. And I went over and toured one of my shows, my comedy shows, and it was like being a rock star. I was playing stadiums. And I was just like, why didn't anyone tell me? Because I genuinely would have moved to Australia years and years ago. So I've been out there a few times and then I've just done a show out in Australia called Queen of shows. So we, we went and we lived about 6 or 7 months and so, so it was just, yeah, never been a place where I was thinking works. It's so far, you know, it's such an obvious thing to say that it's, it's a schlep. But then when I got there, I just couldn't believe how much I loved it. In fact, sometimes me and my husband go because he's from L.A. and I'm from London. I mean, it's hardly really meeting in the middle, but, you know, I've I've worked out meets in the middle. I'm, I'm saying somewhere like Boston.
Jenna [00:45:29] Yeah.
Catherine Tate [00:45:30] But, we go, well, maybe just, you know, because LA is his. London is mine. Let's have Australia for ourselves, you know, let's let Sydney be ours.
Angela [00:45:39] That's so romantic.
Jenna [00:45:40] Very romantic.
Catherine Tate [00:45:41] Never happened, but it's nice.
Angela [00:45:44] All right. Let's see. Next question. What do you like to do on the weekends?
Catherine Tate [00:45:49] I think mainly in my life I'm defined more by what I don't do and what I don't like, by what I do. If you ask me what I like, I'd struggle. But if you ask me what I don't like, we'd be here all day. So I can tell you what I don't do at the weekend.
Angela [00:46:02] I love it. That's great.
Catherine Tate [00:46:04] I don't I don't like to cook at all. It's not just the weekends. I don't like cooking. Which baffles me why I've just been offered a cooking show. I think someone heard me on the radio talking about how much I hate to cook, and went, we should actually put this on TV. And it's like, I'm not sure you quite understood my feelings about not liking to cook.
Angela [00:46:21] I could watch you hate cooking.
Catherine Tate [00:46:23] Oh. It's not even hating. It's proper. Like it's like a primal. It gives me rage. Proper like rage. This idea, and it's what I find doubly awful, is like with a family and children, you're expected to do it three times a day. And I find that astonishing. And that's why I'm a huge advocate for breakfast cereals three times a day. I mean, because that's what I would eat. I'm not. I digress.
Angela [00:46:48] Okay.
Catherine Tate [00:46:49] I'm not cooking at the weekend. I'm not cooking any day, to be honest. Mama don't cook. Literally. I've got a t shirt going, mama don't cook. So don't come up to me like, I'm hungry.
Angela [00:46:57] If you want pure rage, ask me for a snack.
Catherine Tate [00:47:02] Oh, it infuriates me. It really does. And in a strange way, because, I didn't think I was so un maternal that I just didn't have the instinct to give people nourishment. But I clearly don't. Yeah. No. Awful. I can't. I can't. I hate cooking. I don't want to exercise. You know, I don't want to. I don't mind ambling about, but I, yeah, I don't want to do that. I don't want to socialize. So don't ask me to a barbecue and expect me to throw something on it. That's not happening. I just, like, think I'm actually I'm quite a natural hermit. I'm a natural loner. I'm definitely not a pack animal. I'm a loner. I'm a lone wolf. And my weekends, if I had my own way, I would sit in front of Netflix or the TV- I'm sure other subscription services are available- and eat stuff that I don't have to cook.
Angela [00:48:00] That sounds like a great weekend.
Catherine Tate [00:48:03] And read astrology things. Read astrology blogs because I love an astrology. Yeah, I love that.
Jenna [00:48:08] What is your sign?
Catherine Tate [00:48:09] Sagittarius.
Jenna [00:48:09] Okay. I'm Pisces.
Catherine Tate [00:48:11] Oh. You are?
Angela [00:48:11] I'm a cancer.
Catherine Tate [00:48:12] You are?
Jenna [00:48:13] Why do you say it that way? Do you feel bad for me?
Catherine Tate [00:48:15] Because you're- No, I don't feel bad for you. I don't feel bad for you. You're soulful water signs.
Jenna [00:48:20] Yes . That's true.
Catherine Tate [00:48:21] You're soulful water signs. That's why you're so compatible with each other.
Both [00:48:25] Awww.
Catherine Tate [00:48:26] You're soulful water signs.
Angela [00:48:27] I didn't know that.
Jenna [00:48:28] Yeah.
Angela [00:48:29] Okay, last question. Might be a real roll of the dice now.
Catherine Tate [00:48:34] Go on.
Angela [00:48:35] Favorite midnight snack? That you don't have to cook.
Catherine Tate [00:48:38] That I don't have to cook. First of all, I'd like to ask who the hell's eating at midnight. That's really bad for you. Snack. Genuinely, anything I don't have to cook. Anything out of a packet. Out of a bag.
Angela [00:48:50] Love a packet.
Catherine Tate [00:48:51] Cereal. I do like cereal. Go to cereal- everybody eats cereal at midnight.
Jenna [00:48:55] What's your favorite?
Catherine Tate [00:48:57] Well, we have one I know at home, I don't know if you have it here, it's called crunchy nut cornflakes.
Jenna [00:49:01] Crunchy nut cornflakes.
Catherine Tate [00:49:02] Kellogg's crunchy nut corn flakes. It's basically corn flakes with nuts and honey.
Jenna [00:49:08] Oh, it's called Honey Bunches of Oats.
Catherine Tate [00:49:10] Oh, it is?
Jenna [00:49:11] In the states.
Catherine Tate [00:49:12] Of oats? There's no oats in it, though.
Jenna [00:49:14] Oh.
Angela [00:49:15] Tricked ya. Come on.
Jenna [00:49:17] Maybe it's not the same.
Catherine Tate [00:49:18] No.
Jenna [00:49:19] It sounded like you described Honey Bunches of Oats.
Catherine Tate [00:49:21] So what's Honey bunches of Oats? I'm about to go and buy it right now.
Jenna [00:49:24] It's very good. It's my husband's favorite cereal. It has crunchy clusters. And like corn flakes that also are crunchy.
Catherine Tate [00:49:33] Yeah. No these are these are just pure- can I just say one of the things my abiding memories of The Office?
Both [00:49:38] Yes.
Catherine Tate [00:49:40] Was the kitchen. Where I counted on my first day 27 different varieties of cereal because obviously that's my go to meal. 27 varieties of cereal you had in that kitchen.
Angela [00:49:54] Yeah, yeah.
Catherine Tate [00:49:55] Not the on screen kitchen. The kitchen where we could go and make a snack. 27. I could not believe it.
Jenna [00:50:04] But also like nine milks. There was like soy milk, oat milk, whole milk, 2%. There were all the milks as well in the fridge.
Catherine Tate [00:50:10] Yeah. It was. It was just like heaven to me. Yeah.
Angela [00:50:14] I was going to say, imagine how many more you could have counted had they not kicked you out. Get back up to your snacks.
Catherine Tate [00:50:19] Oh, imagine before they said no, come on. She's upstairs. She's upstairs in the production office. I'm sure there was about 52.
Angela [00:50:28] There was a whole other cupboard, but they didn't let you stay in there long enough.
Catherine Tate [00:50:31] I was only counting the first shelf, and then they kicked me out. No. So breakfast cereal, it would be breakfast cereal.
Angela [00:50:36] Yeah.
Catherine Tate [00:50:38] American breakfast cereal. Because you have this- it was a Trader Joe's apple cinnamon one. And it became my like, crack.
Angela [00:50:46] Like Apple Jacks.
Catherine Tate [00:50:47] I don't know, I've never tasted Apple Jacks and I don't know what Fruity Pebbles are and all that kind, and I think I don't want fruit. I don't want Fruity Pebbles.
Angela [00:50:54] You can't go wrong with Cheerios.
Catherine Tate [00:50:56] Cheerios. Very nice.
Jenna [00:50:57] Angela's a spokesperson for Cheerios.
Angela [00:50:58] I have done a commercial for Cheerios.
Catherine Tate [00:51:00] You have?
Angela [00:51:01] Yes! You would love it. I ate Cheerios all day. And I, and I actually love Cheerios, so I was like, eating. I was so with such gusto eating, eating, eating. And Zach Woods directed the spot.
Catherine Tate [00:51:13] No.
Angela [00:51:13] Yes. And it's me and Phyllis and Leslie.
Catherine Tate [00:51:16] Oh my gosh. I didn't know that. That would be the perfect thing to do.
Angela [00:51:20] You should- Cheerios people!
Jenna [00:51:24] You need a campaign.
Catherine Tate [00:51:25] Oh, I'm all for cereal. I mean, my daughter was raised on it.
Jenna [00:51:31] Oh, Catherine, this was so amazing.
Catherine Tate [00:51:33] Oh, thank you so much. I'm so delighted.
Jenna [00:51:36] Thank you for coming.
Angela [00:51:37] This was just the best.
Catherine Tate [00:51:39] It was a pleasure.
Angela [00:51:38] You're such a just joy to be around.
Catherine Tate [00:51:41] Thank you. It's because we don't see each other that often you say that.
Angela [00:51:43] Oh, no.
Catherine Tate [00:51:45] You talk to people who see me every day, it's like, oh, God.
Jenna [00:51:51] What's next for you? What are you- and, you know, we didn't even really get to talk about how varied your career is.
Angela [00:51:56] How talented you are. You've created shows.
Catherine Tate [00:51:56] Oh. don't worry. Thank you. Oh, I do it all!
Jenna [00:52:02] Theater!
Catherine Tate [00:52:03] Yes, theater. I've just done a play, and I'm about to do another one, actually. Next year.
Jenna [00:52:08] You are?
Catherine Tate [00:52:09] Yeah, I'm going to do another play, I like plays. Because you get your days free and... yeah.
Angela [00:52:17] Jenna and I should come see your play. Wouldn't that be a fun road trip.
Jenna [00:52:20] Is that your favorite? Do you have a favorite?
Catherine Tate [00:52:23] I don't think I do. Do you know what? My favorite thing is to do lots of different things. To do lots of different genres because I, you know, listen, we're always grateful for the- You know, I was listening to the one you did with Phyllis, and it's so interesting that you said a teacher you had said work begets work?
Both [00:52:40] Yeah.
Catherine Tate [00:52:41] Don't turn work down. It's really interesting that thing, isn't it?
Both [00:52:44] Yeah.
Angela [00:52:44] My teacher would always say, say yes.
Catherine Tate [00:52:47] Really. Say yes, that's very interesting. I do think that is the mentality of most actors, isn't it? Because even however successful you've been and however fortunate the things that you've managed to do are, I think everyone's got that mentality of being a jobbing actor. Because what there- what we absolutely know there isn't is job security.
Angela [00:53:05] No.
Catherine Tate [00:53:06] And it's not. And I remember when I was at college, they used to say, oh, here's the thing, you're only as good as your last job. I disagree, I think you're only as good as your next job, unfortunately, in this industry. You know what I mean? It's so cut throat and it's so immediate and stuff's gone and that's it. And you missed it. And there's so much stuff that people are consuming. And when people always say, what's your favorite job? And I always go, My next one. I know that's going to be the one. My next one, because I think forward, you know, and it's lovely to reminisce. But the joy is the journey I think.
Angela [00:53:37] Yeah.
Catherine Tate [00:53:38] Journey and cereal.
Angela [00:53:40] My autobiography.
Catherine Tate [00:53:42] Was my nickname in high school. Oh. Thank you so much. Thank you.
Both [00:53:49] Thank you.
Angela [00:53:53] How amazing is Catherine?
Jenna [00:53:55] I mean, I smiled the whole time we were talking with her.
Angela [00:53:57] The whole time. The whole time. Well, a huge thank you to Catherine Tate for spending her morning with us. And also to you all for listening and supporting Office Ladies. We just love you.
Jenna [00:54:08] We hope you have a good one and we'll see you next week. Thank you for listening to Office Ladies.
Angela [00:54:19] Office ladies is a presentation of Audacy and this produced by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey.
Jenna [00:54:25] Our executive producer is Cassi Jerkins. Our audio engineer is Sam Kieffer, and our associate producer is Aynsley Bubbico.
Angela [00:54:33] Audacy's executive producers are Jenna Weiss-Berman and Leah Reis-Dennis. Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton.