TRANSCRIPT
Office Ladies | Episode 257.7 - The Paper Interviews #2 with Chelsea Frei
Angela [00:00:03] Hello everyone, welcome to another special Friday episode of Office Ladies. This week we are sharing our interview with Chelsea Frei from "The Paper."
Jenna [00:00:12] The Paper is coming out on September 4th on Peacock and we found out they are planning to release the first four episodes.
Angela [00:00:20] That's right. We got our links to view them before they air.
Jenna [00:00:23] They sent us the first four episodes. I am so excited. This is one of the benefits of being part of the Office Universe. We get to see these shows early and lady, I am here for it.
Angela [00:00:34] I know! We get to see them, but we do have to wait to do our breakdown until after the show has premiered, because no spoilers.
Jenna [00:00:41] Yeah, so until then, we have to keep everything to ourselves. Oh, by the way, Ange, did you know that there is a rumor that we have cameos on The Paper?
Angela [00:00:54] Seriously?
Jenna [00:00:55] Yes, yes.
Angela [00:00:55] What kind of rumor?
Jenna [00:00:56] Okay, well, some website quoted you -
Angela [00:01:00] Oh no.
Jenna [00:01:02] - talking about how we went to the set, and for some reason that got turned into us having cameos in the show. But you were just talking about how we got to visit.
Angela [00:01:10] Okay, I didn't muck it up, right? I said visited.
Jenna [00:01:13] No, no, no.
Angela [00:01:13] Okay.
Jenna [00:01:13] You did not, lady. This is one of those examples of how things get distorted. The game of telephone. We should say, I guess to set the record straight, Angela and I do not appear in The Paper.
Angela [00:01:27] Nope.
Jenna [00:01:27] There is a familiar face on the paper, that news is out. Oscar Nunez is reprising his role of Oscar Martinez.
Angela [00:01:33] That's right, but Jenna and I are not on The Paper.
Jenna [00:01:36] Correct.
Angela [00:01:36] Or, in The Paper. We're not on it or in it.
Jenna [00:01:39] We are not, we just visited it.
Angela [00:01:40] That's it.
Jenna [00:01:41] Well, I'm glad we cleared that up. Now, we really hope that you enjoyed this interview with Chelsea Frei. You might know her from the series "The Cleaning Lady," or "Animal Control." She is an absolute sweetheart.
Angela [00:01:54] Chelsea shares about how she got her job on The Paper and the secret code name everyone had to use to keep the show under wraps on the Universal lot.
Jenna [00:02:02] Mm-hmm. We hope you enjoy.
audio cue [00:02:09] interstitial music cue
Jenna [00:02:09] All right, will you please tell us your name and tell us your character name?
Chelsea [00:02:13] I'm Chelsea Frei and my character name is Mare Preeti.
Jenna [00:02:17] Tell us a little about your character.
Chelsea [00:02:20] Mare is an army vet. She's born and raised in Ohio. She's very practical. I think she got really used to her dreams not working out. She worked here for a while and saw how it was run and didn't really think anything would change. Then when Ned shows up, I think this fire is reignited in her; of hope and excitement and doing something she cares about with her life. I think she used to just go to work as "the job" and now it's kind of something more exciting. We're catching her at an interesting moment in her life.
Jenna [00:03:11] So you mentioned your character was born and raised in Ohio, but what about you?
Chelsea [00:03:16] I'm from Boston. I grew up in Andover, Massachusetts which is a small town right outside of Boston. Then I moved to New York for college. So I was there when I was 18. I lived there for six years and then, I moved out here. But now, I got my entire family to move out here, so we're all California people now.
Angela [00:03:38] All right, so we always ask everyone, how did you get your job on The Office? So how did your job get on The Paper? Can you tell us about your audition process?
Chelsea [00:03:47] God, it's crazy. I'm sure as, you know, the stories always are. But I was in New York shooting something and I had a really rough year during the strike. I was the lead of a show for two years that was a strike casualty and they were just like, "We're throwing it in the trash." It was kind of like my dream job and I was just like, "Well, that's now in the trash and nobody's ever gonna see it." I was in a dark, dark hole as we all kind of were during that time. But anyway, I was luckily shooting a really sweet rom-com in New York, playing a fun little side character. So I did the audition and didn't know anything about the part. It was just dummy sides. So I was like, "Whatever, I'm just gonna have fun with it. I've never gonna hear about this again." There was a rumor going around that it was an Office reboot, but...
Angela [00:04:52] I have one thing to say. So your audition sides were nothing that gave anything away about what you were doing. Is that correct?
Chelsea [00:05:00] Yes, it literally said, "Untitled, Greg Daniels," and then the sides. I didn't even know what they were about. Not about a newspaper. I didn't know who the character was. Literally nothing. So I just kind of put it on tape and totally improvised it with my friend Blake. He was so sweet and did it with me a bunch. I was like, "Great." Again, "I'm never gonna hear back." Like, "I'm just never going to actually be up for this job." Then I got a call that they wanted to see me, but I was in New York. They were like, "You can go to 30 Rock," which was, I was like, "Okay. I interned there when I was-"
Angela [00:05:46] I interned there!
Chelsea [00:05:47] You did?!
Angela [00:05:48] Yes. I interned on Conan O'Brien.
Chelsea [00:05:50] [incredulously/playfully] No, you didn't.
Angela [00:05:50] Yes!
Chelsea [00:05:50] I interned at Late Night with Seth Meyers and then SNL.
Angela [00:05:52] I worked on the weekends on SNL.
Chelsea [00:05:55] Are you kidding me? So it's so surreal. Like, I walked back in and met Michael Komen (who was there) and we went in and I'm so grateful that I thought I would never get the job because I think I just had so much fun because I was like, even to this day I'm still like, "I'm not ever gonna get this job." Like "I'm doing the job that I'm actually never gonna get." I went in and they kept me for two hours and they asked about me and about where I'm from and we're incorporating that into the character and it was just one of the most surreal days of my life. Everybody else was on zoom, besides Michael, but he was kind of looking at me giving me a little thumbs up and then I got a call later that day that I was in a chemistry read - And this is where it's funny. I thought the show was set in Boston, kind of based on how we were talking. So I started making her really Boston-y when I came back in for the chemistry and they were like, "What are you doing?" I was like, "I thought she was supposed to have an accent." I was just kind of going crazy. Then I wrote Greg a letter saying that I just wanted the part so bad. Because it was dummy sides, I thought her name was Paula and I thought she was from Boston. I wrote this heartfelt letter of why nobody else can play Paula from Boston and I just really put it all out there because I was like "when else am I gonna get the chance to write something to Greg Daniels that he might actually read?" Then I got the part and her name's not Paula she's not from Boston. I was so embarrassed. I made it seem like there's nobody else who can do this. It was terrible, and then I got the call and it was the craziest thing. I still can't believe it.
audio cue [00:07:52] interstitial music cue
Jenna [00:08:03] So on the show, it's the same documentary crew that followed the folks at Dunder Mifflin, and now they're following you all here at the paper. What has it been like for you to acknowledge the camera, or look right at the camera? Was that a weird adjustment?
Chelsea [00:08:18] Yeah, it is. I mean, I cannot tell you how many times I've rewatched The Office. As it is for everyone in the world; it was my comfort show, my everything show. The show that when I'm working and away from home it, reminds me of home and makes me feel better. So I know everything. He'd be like, "You know the episode" and I would pretend. I'd be like, "Right, yeah, the dinner party episode. I think I've seen that one." I've seen it a hundred times. So anyway, I was so nervous about making it seem like I was kind of putting on something, like, trying to do something that you guys had done. So the thing that I found, was trying to find my exact relationship to it and what I want whenever I'm looking at the camera. What else do I want the camera not to know? Um, but it's definitely taken a minute. I actually don't know, but I feel like somebody was like, "She needs to stop looking at the camera as much," because during a couple of episodes, they were like, "You don't need to look at the camera for that one." I was like "Okay, I'm doing it too much." But yeah, it's been a fun, so fun. I've never done a show like that, where you get to interact with it. I'm scared for the next thing if I ever work again. For the next I do, I'm going to be looking at the camera all the time.
Angela [00:09:44] It happens, yeah. I think the job I had after The Office was a Netflix show and I looked right down the barrel of the camera one time and they're like, "Hey, Angela, can you not look down the camera?"
Chelsea [00:09:56] Stoooop it. Okay, that makes me feel better. Wow, I have so many- I want to ask you guys questions.
Angela [00:10:05] You can ask us questions.
Chelsea [00:10:06] How is it being back here? How do you guys feel?
Jenna [00:10:10] Well, it's really exciting to see some of our crew members that cross over. That's been actually really emotional. I wish, all the time, that I could wake up and just go back for one day in the past and be on the set again and just with all the people (including our crew) and make an episode. So it's been a little bit sentimental, seeing people.
Angela [00:10:37] Well, we walked up and the first person we saw was Sergio from Big Time Catering. I mean, Sergio fed us for nine years. He got us both through pregnancy cravings and the cast and the crew, we're still like a family. I think of us as a family and we still support each other and show up for each other. So I hope for that for you, because it's really special.
Chelsea [00:11:01] Yeah, that has been one of the nicest things is hearing how many people came back from doing it. They talk about it all the time, because it's also true. Now, knock on wood, you get a show that goes on longer than a couple of seasons. But it's so rare and to hear about them seeing their children grow up and seeing all of you just go through marriages and it's just... It's crazy, it's so special and it's so fun to hear about. I'm just thinking of every single person on the crew, but it really feels like what you guys created has just truly carried on and made something so special, and you can feel it. I feel so lucky to even just be around it and hear the story.
Jenna [00:11:53] Well, I know that you mentioned that your family is all out here with you now and we also know that everyone has been sworn to secrecy during this whole taping. What was it like when your family found out you booked this job? What has it been like for you at holidays, when they want to know stuff and you cannot tell them?
Angela [00:12:11] What is the situation like? Do you have an aunt who's pestering everyone, and you're on lockdown information?
Chelsea [00:12:18] Well, first, I could probably get fired for saying this. Literally, my agents called me and when they told me, they were like, "do not tell anybody." I was crying. I was like, "Oh my God." I was also at a dinner and they're like, "You cannot tell. Do not your family, don't tell your boyfriend," whatever. I was just like, "Of course not." Literally immediately called my mom. I was "I got it!" Which is so bad. Then I told my mom that she cannot tell, and I love my mother. The biggest mouth in the world. She's so proud of me, which I love, but I was like, "This one, you really can't tell." Then I started getting really nervous because I could tell that she told family members. I was, like, "if I lose my job because of this..." So anyway, besides that, it is hard not telling people. I mean, we have this fake name, Tsum Tsum, and we kind of all just call it that. I feel like I'm gonna continue to call it Tsum Tsums for forever. Um, but yeah, it is fun to keep it a secret. Allan Havey, who was on the show and is amazing, he's had really good advice because he did the last season of Mad Men and he couldn't tell anybody up until it came out. And he's like, "I'm telling you, in a day and age where now we post every single thing as it happens on Instagram there's something so cool about nobody knowing and then the show just dropping and everybody being like, 'oh my God.'" He's like, "You get that chance, for the first time probably, to do something like that."
Angela [00:13:50] That is definitely so cool. So when Jenna and I arrived today, our directions were to Tsum Tsum. Am I saying it right? Tsum tsums? So even here on the Universal Lot, while you're filming, nowhere does it say The Paper?
Chelsea [00:14:04] Yeah.
Angela [00:14:04] That's pretty wild, right? I mean, this is a big lot and you're Tsum Tsums.
Chelsea [00:14:08] And we're Tsum Tsums.
Angela [00:14:10] The lady at the parking structure, I was like, "Yeah, I'm going to Tsum Tsums." She was like, "You're in parking 2160. I don't know what..." She was not having it.
Chelsea [00:14:18] Do you know the story of it?
Angela [00:14:20] No, what is the story of Tsum Tsums? Is Juliana here? No. Um, Juliana is Greg's assistant - While they were writing it, obviously, they would get lunch every day. There's this really amazing, I think Mediterranean restaurant, Tsum tsum. I guess Juliana, his assistant, always wanted Tsum Tsums. They'd be like, "Okay, what do we want for lunch?" She'd always be like, "Tsum Tsums?" And it became a thing. So one day they just asked Greg, "Oh, what You want the alias, or whatever, to be" and he was like, "I didn't think about the name of it. Just call it Tsum Tsum, like, whatever." And now it's literally every time, we're putting in everywhere. We have water bottles with Tsum Tsums on them now. Yeah, I wonder if the restaurant knows. I don't think so, but...
Angela [00:15:06] They will.
Jenna [00:15:10] Well, this was so great. Thank you for sitting down with us. We hope that once the show comes out, we'd love to have you in our studio and you can talk to us more. When you can tell us more specific storylines.
Angela [00:15:22] Exactly.
Chelsea [00:15:22] Great great great, I can't wait.
Angela [00:15:21] Exactly. Yeah, you can tell us the whole arc of your character, we'd love to share about it.
Chelsea [00:15:27] Thank you, so much. This is a dream. Thank you so much.
Angela [00:15:34] She's just so fun to be around.
Jenna [00:15:37] Yeah, she was one of the first interviews that we did, actually. She really put me at ease, which I appreciated. I think she was nervous to talk to us, because we were her first interview about The Paper.
Angela [00:15:49] But we were nervous to talk to her.
Jenna [00:15:50] Yes. You know, when Chelsea talked about keeping stuff secret from her family, I remember what that was like, because we did that on The Office. I mean, we very famously kept Steve's return in the finale a secret.
Angela [00:16:03] Mm-hmm.
Jenna [00:16:04] But I remember my family completely hounding me about what was gonna happen between season two and season three, after Jim kissed Pam on casino night.
Angela [00:16:14] Oh yeah?
Jenna [00:16:15] Yeah, they wanted to know, "Would I still be with Roy? Did I get with Jim?" I didn't say anything.
Angela [00:16:22] Of course not. Well, you know, I love Chelsea's story about her audition and how she really committed to a Boston accent at first.
Jenna [00:16:30] I know! I love that, that was great. Well listen, thanks for listening. Next Friday we are back with the super charming Sabrina Impacciatore. Ugh, Sabrina!
Angela [00:16:42] I mean, Sabrina, I hung on your every word.
Jenna [00:16:45] I seriously can't wait for you to hear this one.
Angela [00:16:47] All right, well, see you next week.
audio cue [00:16:53] musical outro
Jenna [00:16:53] Thank you for listening to Office Ladies.
Angela [00:16:55] Office Ladies is a presentation of Audacy and is produced by Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey.
Jenna [00:17:00] Our executive producer is Cassi Jerkins. Our audio engineer is Sam Kieffer and our associate producer is Aynsley Bubbico.
Angela [00:17:08] Audacy's executive producer is Leah Reis-Dennis.
Jenna [00:17:11] Office Ladies was mixed and mastered by Bill Schultz.
Angela [00:17:14] Our theme song is "Rubber Tree" by Creed Bratton.