Despite his memorable performance as Dwight Shrute, Rainn Wilson made a candid confession and admitted to being ‘unhappy’ on the show for ‘several years’.
Throughout 2005 and 2013, fans were enthralled by the US spin on Ricky Gervais’ The Office led by Steve Carell.
However, as well as his unforgettable one-liners, fans also grew to love the performances of his co-stars including Rainn, who played the gullible beets farmer.
While the show propelled the careers of those including Steve, John Krasinski, Ed Helms, and Mindy Kaling, Rainn revealed he struggled to gain the level of stardom.
Reflecting on his time on the show, the star said: “When I was in The Office, I spent several years really mostly unhappy because it wasn’t enough.”
Speaking on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast he continued: “I’m realising I’m on a hit show, Emmy nominated every year, making lots of money.
“Working with Steve Carell and Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski and these amazing writers and incredible directors like Paul Feig. I’m on one of the great TV shows. People love it.”
“I wasn’t enjoying it, I was thinking about, ‘Why am I not a movie star? Why am I not the next Jack Black or the next Will Ferrell?
“How come I can’t have a movie career? Why don’t I have this development deal?’”
Rainn’s frustration came from the fact Steve made a shocking departure in season seven to take on a number of leading roles including The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Get Smart.
Although he didn’t mention the Michael Scott star, Wilson hoped his career would take a similar path as he added: “When I was on The Office…I was making hundreds of thousands.
“I wanted millions. I was a TV star, but I wanted to be a movie star. It was never enough.”
The actor concluded: “Humans have lived for hundreds of thousands of years, and ‘never enough’ has helped us as a species.”
Since the 2013 finale, Wilson has recently appeared in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story and the comedy Jerry and Marge Go Large.
He has also added another credit to his resume with the new release of Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution.
Despite this, Wilson has delighted in being appreciated for his role in The Office as he recently spotted a fan watching the series on a flight unaware the Dwight star was watching.
Taking to his Instagram Stories, he was unrecognizable wearing a face mask, hat, and headphones as he panned to the fan and quipped: “When the person sitting next to you has no idea who you are…”
The Office US seasons 1-9 are available to stream on NBC in the USA
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