Adam Scott has found a funny way to look back at one of his career's biggest missed opportunities — but his daughter was less amused when the story unexpectedly became part of her acting class.
The Severance star recently shared an awkward but hilarious story about his daughter, Francesca 'Frankie' Scott, during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Frankie, who is preparing to enter her senior year of high school, was attending an acting programme in New York this summer while her father was in the city filming the third season of Severance.
Adam Scott's 'The Office' Audition Used as a Class Lesson
Scott explained that, during the first day of one of Frankie's acting classes, the teacher decided to show the students two audition tapes from The Office.
One belonged to Scott, who had auditioned for the role of Jim Halpert. The other was John Krasinski's audition for the same character. Krasinski ultimately won the role and went on to play Jim throughout the American version of The Office from 2005 until the sitcom ended in 2013.
According to Scott, the teacher asked the class to compare the two performances and discuss why one actor got the part while the other did not. There was just one problem: the teacher had no idea that one of the actors being discussed was the father of a student sitting in the room.
Scott recalled that his daughter was 'mortified' by the situation. The awkwardness became even greater when the teacher eventually discovered that Frankie was Scott's daughter.
The instructor reportedly realised the connection after class, when he asked Frankie whether she knew either of the actors shown in the audition footage. Once he connected her surname with Adam Scott, he understood what had happened and felt terrible.
Scott Took the Awkward Moment in His Stride
While the experience was embarrassing for Frankie, Scott appeared to see the funny side.
Rather than treating the failed The Office audition as a painful career moment, the actor joked about becoming an example of what not to do in a prestigious acting class.
His reaction reflects how much Scott's career has changed since those early audition days. Although he did not land the role of Jim Halpert, his career went on to include several major television performances.
Scott eventually became widely recognised for playing Ben Wyatt on Parks and Recreation, a role that showcased the dry humour and understated comedic style that would become closely associated with him. He has also appeared in projects including Big Little Lies, The Good Place and Severance.
In fact, Scott's connection to The Office universe did not end with losing out on Jim. His original audition tape was eventually released alongside other previously unseen auditions, giving fans a glimpse at actors who could have played some of the sitcom's most recognisable characters.
Adam Scott Was Not the Only Actor Who Missed Out
Scott's audition is also a reminder of just how different The Office could have looked.
Several well-known actors auditioned for roles in the series before the final cast was established. Scott tried out for Jim, while actors including John Cho also auditioned for the character. Seth Rogen auditioned for Dwight Schrute, while Kathryn Hahn was among those who tried for Pam Beesly.
Ultimately, Krasinski became inseparable from Jim Halpert, with his chemistry alongside Jenna Fischer's Pam becoming one of the defining elements of the sitcom.
That does not necessarily mean Scott's audition was simply "bad". The casting process involves numerous factors, including whether an actor fits the particular interpretation of a character and the chemistry required for a production. Scott's later career demonstrates that missing out on one role does not prevent an actor from finding another that suits them.
His Children Have Also Kept Him Humble
Scott has previously joked that his children are not necessarily his biggest fans when it comes to his work.
While his children have watched popular shows such as The Office and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Scott has said they had avoided watching some of his own projects, including Parks and Recreation. More recently, however, they began watching Severance, giving Scott the unusual experience of having his children finally watch one of his starring roles.
The actor has described his children as keeping him humble, and his latest story certainly fits that description.
For Frankie, though, having her famous father unexpectedly become the subject of an acting lesson was probably not quite the family bonding experience she had in mind.
A Failed Audition With a Very Successful Ending
What makes Scott's story particularly amusing is the perspective that comes with hindsight.
The audition may have ended with Scott losing the role of Jim, but it hardly marked the end of his television career. He went on to establish himself as a respected comedy and drama actor, eventually taking on the lead role of Mark Scout in Severance.
Meanwhile, his unsuccessful The Office audition has taken on a life of its own, becoming a piece of television history that fans can still watch years later.
