The Office's Amy Ryan Couldn't Keep A Straight Face While Filming With Steve Carell
For a comedic actor, back when it was still on the air, nothing must've been better than landing a guest star spot on NBC's "The Office." Even if it was for just one episode, these lucky performers got a chance to be part of one of the most beloved single-camera comedies ever. Not only did they get to be featured amongst an uber-talented supporting cast, but they also got to work with the hilarious Steve Carell. One of these lucky few was Amy Ryan, whose scheduled short stint on the series was much longer than expected.
When you take a look at Amy Ryan's career before her run on "The Office," it's safe to say that her work leaned closer to the dramatic side. That's why it may have been a little bit of a surprise to see her pop-up as a guest star on the show, which was only supposed to be for one or two episodes. However, chemistry was clearly created between her character, Holly Flax, and her new coworker, Michael Scott (Carell). To the surprise of many, not only did Ryan's character appear on the show much longer than expected, but she ended up winning Michael's heart.
Holly appeared for the first time as a replacement Human Resources Representative on a double episode in Season 4. Fans got to see Michael and Holly go from a clash of management to being engaged, a moment that brought Ryan to actual tears. However, that wouldn't be the first, nor last time Ryan would have trouble holding in her emotions, but the majority of these character-breaks came from Carell's off-the-cuff comedic mastery, rather than from the plot line.
Amy Ryan would leave the set with pain in her side
When Amy Ryan first appeared in Season 4 of "The Office," the series was right in the middle of its prime. However, as she continued to be brought back on multiple episodes, the excitement of being on such a great series also came with a certain type of struggle. That struggle came from Steve Carell's performance, which would make Ryan laugh so much, it would sometimes require a total scene reset. "I started giggling, then tried to turn it into a cough, and then it turned into just full-on silent weeping, and then crying, and make-up had to be reapplied after, " she revealed to People TV.
The struggle to keep a straight face when filming opposite Carell must've been difficult for anyone working on set with him. However, this challenge for Ryan just came with the territory, and her love for the show made it all that much more enjoyable. "I have fortunately become part of a show that I was a big fan of, and 'The Office' was an example of that," she told BUILD. "It was one of the most joyous places to go to work. I would truly leave with aches in my side from laughing."
It's no surprise that Ryan had to deal with the difficulties of keeping a straight face while filming "The Office" opposite Carell. Unfortunately, for fans, the majority of those takes needed to be edited out to keep the reality of the show intact. However, one real emotional moment was kept in, thanks to the insisting of Carell himself. During the scene when Michael proposes to Holly, the emotion of that moment brought Ryan to tears, which Carell thought was a perfect take and was kept in the show.