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‘The Paper’ cast left stunned as spinoff show gets surprise on-set visit from ‘The Office’ icons

‘The Paper’ brings a fresh newsroom mockumentary vibe, with a nod to ‘The Office’ through surprise guest visits

Fans of 'The Office' were left utterly disappointed when it was announced that the spinoff, 'The Paper,' will have no original cast members, besides Oscar Nuñez. However, before its much-anticipated premiere on Thursday, September 4, a giant surprise is awaiting 'The Office' fans. In a surprising twist, it was revealed that John Krasinski and Steve Carell crashed on the set of 'The Paper,' but is there more to the story?

Reportedly, both Carell and Krasinski surprised the cast of 'The Paper' on the first day of shooting, even though they won't appear in the show. Talking about the jaw-dropping moment, 'The Paper' actress Sabrina Impacciatore told Entertainment Weekly, "No makeup yet. We are very anxious. Like, oh my God, we're so scared. And then we hear, 'Knock, knock.' She continued, "Someone enters the trailer, and it's Steve Carell and John Krasinski! We're fainting. Like, what? Can you imagine? Isn't it crazy? The first day of shooting!"

As fate would have it, the duo was filming a Lavazza coffee commercial next door. Talking about the same, Impacciatore said, "I thought, this is a blessing. Italian coffee, which is the coffee that I've been drinking all my life." Before joining the show, Impacciatore had never seen 'The Office,' but she binged it and became addicted, as she revealed, "Steve Carell became someone that I loved." She even booked an impromptu flight from Rome to New York to see Carell in 'Uncle Vanya' after series creator Greg Daniels let it slip he was in the city. "I said, 'Greg, if you are still in contact with Steve, can you please tell him that I think he's one of the most incredible artists on this planet?'" said Impacciatore.

Impacciatore continued, "I bought a f*****g flight. I went to see the show. I went to the green room. I waited for him. He came out. I was shaking. I said, 'I'm Sabrina! Can you bless me?' I needed his blessing [for The Paper]! He was the sweetest. He was so warm. He was encouraging me so much. He said, 'These people are brilliant. You are going to have the best experience of your life. You're going to be great.'" Daniels, executive producer of 'The Paper,' also clarified how the new sitcom relates to 'The Office,' as per USA Today. When asked if it’s a sequel, spinoff, or reboot, Daniels said, "It's not a reboot, for sure. I've been referring to it as a new documentary from the same crew." Daniels was referencing the mockumentary style made famous by 'The Office.' 

Notably, 'The Paper' will now release all 10 episodes at once on Thursday, September 4, on Peacock, which is a shift from its original plan of four episodes followed by weekly drops, as per Variety. The series follows Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson), a new editor-in-chief trying to revitalize the Toledo Truth Teller alongside a quirky team of employees. Returning Office cast member Nuñez reprises his role as accountant Oscar Martinez, while the show retains the unseen camera crew capturing workplace antics. The first season also features guest stars including Eric Rahill, Tracy Letts, Molly Ephraim, Mo Welch, Allan Havey, Duane Shepard Sr., Nate Jackson, and Nancy Lenehan.