Why The Office's John Krasinski & Jenna Fischer Were Kept Separate For One Episode
There are countless examples of actors isolating themselves for significant periods of time to prepare for a role or even a single scene. While this can be effective, sometimes all that's needed to capture a perfect performance is an hour or two of separation. This was the case when John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer first locked lips on the set of NBC's classic sitcom "The Office."
The brewing romance between the actor's characters, Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly, simmers for two whole seasons before taking a sudden step forward in the Season 2 finale, "Casino Night." In that episode, Jim unexpectedly kisses Pam, who is torn between her feelings for her coworker and those for her long-time fiancé, warehouse worker Roy (David Denman).
The moment is magical (though the argument can be made that it's one of the worst things Jim ever did), but it turns out that part of what makes the scene so powerful is the fact that Krasinski and Fischer were deliberately kept apart in the lead-up to shooting the scene.
In Episode 28 of the "Office Ladies" podcast, Krasinski joined cohosts Fischer and Angela Kinsey (who plays Angela on the show) to break down the episode. Naturally, the look-back focuses quite a bit on the kiss scene and what followed, and in the discussion, it is revealed that the two actors were kept apart for a substantial amount of time beforehand. Kinsey reveals that, according to the show's commentary, "They wanted the first time John as Jim saw Pam was in that moment, 'on action.'" They succeeded (with the first take, at least) and managed to capture the pent-up nerves on screen for two follow-up takes before pulling the plug to avoid overworking the scene.
Keeping Krasinski and Fischer apart before the big moment
During the podcast, Krasinski notes that Fischer was in her trailer before shooting the scene. He thought she might be upset, which only added to the already palpable tension. When he was told they were ready to roll, Krasinski still hadn't seen his co-star.
While Krasinski's account focuses on his being kept in the dark, Fischer's side of the story reveals quite a bit more, starting with the fact that she had been sent to her trailer on purpose. Initially, she was brought in alone to block the scene. She worked with the crew as they figured out where to stand with the phone, as in the scene, Pam calls her mom right before Jim comes into the room. It was decided that she would stand by Jim's desk instead of reception to make it easier for Krasinski to reach her.
They found the best angle to nab the shot, too. "We only used one camera," she elaborated. "It was only the camera in the kitchen, so it was a one-shot. There was no way to cut. We had to get it all in one shot." After setting the stage, they sent her out. "Now we want you to go back to your trailer," Fischer recalled them saying, "and not leave until you're called. And don't speak to John. And just be alone."
Earlier in the podcast episode, she had said, "We never rehearsed it on the stage together. And then I remember that they brought me to set, and all the lights were dim. There was no one around. It was super eerie. There was no crew, nothing."
Capturing the kiss — multiple times
When the time came, the two actors were brought onto set, and they filmed the kiss itself. Jim walked in, they locked lips, and then stood staring at each other. At that point, the actors remember creator Greg Daniels running out of another room, clapping his hands with giddy delight.
In the "Office Ladies" episode, Angela Kinsey added further commentary information regarding the number of takes, confirming that they didn't work with just one shot. They ended up filming the scene three separate times and went with the last one. At that point, Ken Kwapis (who directed the episode) had to talk Daniels down from trying to get even more takes, convincing him that they had the perfect version of the scene. Interestingly, they only filmed Jim's perspective for all three takes. The goal there was to avoid showing Pam's face — and thus her reaction after the kiss.
The actors reiterated more than once that the entire experience was nerve-wracking. Fans might not realize it, but it was John Krasinski's first fake on-screen kiss. In fact, he hadn't even had to kiss someone in a college play up to that point. Jenna Fischer was precisely one kiss more experienced, but even that was in the low-budget movie "Born Champion." Hardly something to write home about.
This time, the kiss was between Jim and Pam. While the crew had tried to stay calm, cool, and collected as they shot the scene, everyone knew it was a big deal for the show. The shooting schedule even had the scene listed as "JIM KISSES PAM!!!" And few would argue with the fact that the actors nailed this scene, even if some fans do believe the couple should never have gotten together at all.