Sabrina Impacciatore Plays A New Kind Of Manager In The Paper

A character who’s more self-absorbed, more attention-seeking, and more delusional than The Office’s Michael Scott? A tall order — but one Sabrina Impacciatore is uniquely equipped to fill in The Paper, Peacock’s spinoff of the beloved sitcom.

Viewers who witnessed Impacciatore’s comedy chops on The White Lotus Season 2, which featured her scene-stealing (and Emmy-nominated) turn as a brash but lovelorn hotel manager, have an idea of what to expect. But the Italian actor’s portrayal of Esmeralda Grand, reality dating show alum and managing editor of the Toledo Truth Teller, is on another level.

“She’s manipulative, she’s bossy, she’s nasty, she’s really bad,” Impacciatore, 57, tells Bustle. And yet, the actor says it was “love at first sight” meeting her on-screen alter ego, whose conviction is so sincere that fans will find themselves rooting for her — and every so often, relating to her, too. At the very least, Impacciatore’s begun seeing her character’s traits everywhere, meeting people and thinking, “Oh, she could be Esmeralda. She could be Esmeralda.” (If you’ve ever loved your own selfies so much that you considered framing them for your desk... you, too, could be Esmeralda.)

The first season (now streaming in full) sees Esmeralda vie for control of the paper as the new editor-in-chief, Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson), attempts to steer it away from the kind of clickbait and shoddy “churnalism” she loves. But there are hints at her more vulnerable side — like when Esmeralda falls for a prolific dating app catfish. “She’s the most manipulative at the office, but then she doesn’t [understand when] someone tries to manipulate her,” Impacciatore says.

Fortunately, a newly greenlit Season 2 can dig in even further. In the meantime, Impacciatore opens up about improv, Esmeralda’s animal inspiration, and the surprising thread that connects her roles on The White Lotus and The Paper.

Were there any influences you drew from to build Esmeralda’s character?

Esmeralda comes completely out of fantasy. I was scared that she could be very unlovable, so I thought, “I have to find an element to make her nice.” I got inspiration thinking about Tweety Bird. Because he’s an innocent bird! [He] just needs to survive. And that’s why he does the most horrible things to Sylvester. So to me, Ned is my Sylvester.

I love that the first time we meet Esmeralda, she walks us through her clickbait article about Ben Affleck tipping his limo driver. What’s your own relationship to media and celebrity — are you clicking on that article?

To be honest, I wouldn’t. When I have time, I find [it luxurious] to buy a real newspaper, to smell it, to fight against the wind, to enjoy the real thing. To read what a journalist really thinks about that subject, I find very enriching. Esmeralda doesn’t care about journalists at all — so she’s very bad at it.

This is your second time on American TV portraying a manager who plays by her own rules. Is there something you’re interested in saying about authority figures in general?

In life, I have quite a strong personality. So, that’s probably why I’ve been chosen for these managerial roles.

Sometimes, when you get power as a woman, subconsciously, you think you have to have “men” qualities. I thought [with Esmeralda], I want to make a bold choice about being completely female. Esmeralda will never wear pants because I’m interested in seeing how using really female tools can empower you. Even if Esmeralda loses power every five minutes and keeps fighting back for power, that struggle is powerful. She’s a winner, even when she loses.

Your “Peppa Pig” improv from The White Lotus went super viral. Did you get to improvise much on The Paper?

Most of the time. [Co-creators] Greg [Daniels] and Michael [Koman] gave me a lot of freedom. There is a moment where Esmeralda is very mad because someone wrote an article about the fact that she [is of] a certain age. So, on set, I started to put tape on my face [to lift it]. I said, “Guys, it’s because she wants to be young.”

I’m curious if, like Esmeralda, you have a spiritual side. For example, in a 2022 interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Ohio came up, and you said you’d never been there — but now, you’re starring on a show that’s all about Ohio. Do you think you manifested that?

Oh, my God. I’m just realizing this. My life is a very, very, very crazy life. I’ve [had] a lot of pain in my life, lots of loss and traumas. But at the same time, I had the biggest joys and satisfaction. Life is the most mysterious thing. Sometimes, I think there is a god that is [pulling the strings], and sometimes, I still don’t know.

To me, it’s all about love. The world needs this wave of big love in everything we do, in every little moment, in every little second, in every thought.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.