Ellie Kemper Revisits Her Office Era

It’s been 20 years since The Office premiered, and more than a decade since it took its final bow. But to see the stars’ easy camaraderie in their new AT&T Business commercial, well, you’d think they were simply on a lunch break from Dunder Mifflin.

In the new spot — part of a multi-year campaign highlighting the provider’s connectivity solutions for small businesses — The Office’s Ellie Kemper, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nuñez, and Creed Bratton gather to check out their friend Craig Robinson’s new invention: an AI-powered alarm clock called Craig AI (or Cr-AI-g), which sees a digital version of the comedian sing to wake up sleepy entrepreneurs. “Good morning, small-business owner Tom! Your bakery is the bomb.”

The adorable device may not exist IRL, but Kemper connected with the sentiment behind the campaign. “We’re not playing our Office characters in the shoot, but it was just like coming together again as small-business employees, which, hello, that’s where we came from at Dunder Mifflin,” she tells Bustle. “You’re wearing so many hats and trying to do it all.”

Kemper, 45, wears a few herself. As an actor, she’s built an impressive career outside The Office, from Bridesmaids to Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt — where her turn as the titular, bright-eyed cult escapee earned her multiple Emmy nods — and, more recently, the delightful Happiness for Beginners. In addition, the mom of two is a published author (she penned the book of essays My Squirrel Days and is keen to return to writing) and currently co-hosts a podcast, Born to Love, which is dedicated to “all the things we absolutely adore.” Like The Office’s Erin Hannon, Kemper likes to dwell on the bright side.

Below, she opens up about reuniting with the cast, an iconic Office episode, and her thoughts on the new spinoff series, The Paper.

This new commercial features an AI-powered alarm clock. How do you think Dunder Mifflin would fare amid the rise of AI?

I hope they would adapt, as we all have to. I feel like they overcame many obstacles. I would like to think that it would integrate the new technology.

Last year’s Office partnership with AT&T revolved around a pillow and now an alarm clock — which is funny, because a lot of viewers engage with The Office while they’re falling asleep! Are you familiar with that phenomenon?

I am familiar with that phenomenon, and I can speak to it firsthand because I joined the show later in the series. As a genuine fan, I understand it. There is something about it that’s very comforting, very familiar. I watched it with my family because we thought the characters were so funny. And we all have those characters in our lives, you know? In fact, my own sister, before she started writing for the show, would always clean her apartment while having it on in the background, just as a calm soundtrack.

When you get together with your Office crew, is there anything that would surprise fans — maybe someone who’s totally unlike their character?

Creed is his character through and through. Angela, Oscar, and Craig are not their characters. I had seen Oscar and Angela more recently, [but] hadn’t seen Creed and Craig in forever. But the minute we were together again, it was like no time had passed. That’s just lovely and very special.

You’re an integral part of one of my personal favorite Office episodes: “Scott’s Tots.” What’s a memory from that shoot that stands out today?

I’m so glad you asked that. There were so many pinch-yourself moments on the show. This was my first big job, and it was the best job on television. When I was driving with Steve Carell, it was like, “I can’t believe that I have this privilege, this honor.” He’s a king. I just love him. And also, [our characters] were developing this sort of father-daughter relationship, which I found very sweet.

We also see Oscar Nuñez in this commercial, and he’s a part of The Paper, the upcoming spinoff about a struggling Midwestern newspaper. Because it’s set in the same universe, is that something you’d be into?

Oh, I would say yes to anything that Greg Daniels is working on. But that invitation hasn’t been issued yet. [Laughs.] I wouldn’t hesitate!

I love seeing your Office reunions on social media. Is there a non-Office project you’d like to do with one of your co-stars?

There’s nothing coming down the pipeline right now, but that sounds like an amazing idea. What’s great about those actors is that they are very versatile. In The Office, there are these iconic characters who are etched forever in pop culture — but they’re actors, and they’re dynamic. So it’d be really fun to work with someone playing a completely different character.

Angela Kinsey and Brian Baumgartner starred in a Hallmark Christmas movie last year. You have this wit and sincerity that you juggle so well — I think you would thrive in that world! I just had to throw it out there.

Oh, my gosh, in the Hallmark world? Sign me up! I’m totally there. I love Hallmark movies, and acting in one would be fantastic.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.