Office Ladies - The Paper Interviews #2 with Chelsea Frei

Episode Date: August 15, 2025

This Friday on Office Ladies 6.0, we have another special bonus episode where Jenna and Angela interview Chelsea Frei who is in the upcoming “Office” spinoff “The Paper”! Chelsea talks about how she got her job on “The Paper” and all of the ways she and the cast had to keep news of the show top secret. Chelsea also talks about being an “Office” fan and Jenna and Angela share how it’s sentimental to be on the set of “The Paper”. This is another great Friday treat to get you ready for “The Paper” premiere, enjoy!    Office Ladies Website - Submit a fan question: https://officeladies.com/submitaquestion  Follow Us on Instagram: OfficeLadiesPod Follow Us on YouTube Follow Us on TikTok To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, everyone. Welcome to another special Friday episode of office ladies. This week, we are sharing our interview with Chelsea Fry from the paper. The paper is coming out on September 4th on Peacock, and we found out they are planning to release the first four episodes. That's right. We got our links to view them before they air. Yes, they sent us the first four episodes. I am so excited. This is one of the benefits of being part of the office universe. We get to see these shows early, and lady, I am here for it. I know. We get to see them, but we do have to wait to do our breakdown until after the show has premiered, because no spoilers. Yeah, so until then, we have to keep everything to ourselves. Oh, by the way, Ang, did you know that there is a rumor that we have cameos on the

paper? Seriously? Yes, yes. Like what kind of rumor? Okay, well, some website, quoted you talking about how we went to the set. And for some reason, that got turned into us having cameos on the show. But you were just talking about how we got to visit. Okay, I didn't muck it up, right? I said visited. No, no, no, no. Okay. You did not, lady. This is one of those examples of how things get twisted, the game of telephone. We should say, I guess, set the record straight, Angela and I do not appear in the paper. Nope. There is a familiar face on the paper. That news is out. Oscar Nunez is reprising his role of Oscar Martinez. That's right. But Jen and I are not on the paper. Correct. Are in the paper. We're not on it or in

it. We are not. We just visited it. That's it. Well, I'm glad we cleared that up. And now we really hope that you enjoy this interview with Chelsea Fry. You might know her from the series The Cleaning Lady or Animal Control. She is an absolute sweetheart. Chelsea shares about how she got her job on the paper and the secret code name everyone had to use to keep the show under wraps on the universal lot. Mm-hmm. We hope you enjoy. All right, will you please tell us your name and tell us your character name? I'm Chelsea Frye and my character name is Mayor Preeti. And tell us a little about your character. Mayor is, well, she's an Army event. Um, she's, um, she's, born and raised in Ohio um she's very practical i think she got really used to um her dreams kind of

like not working out i think she you know worked here for a while and um saw how it was run and didn't really think anything would change and um then when ned shows up i think kind of this fire is reignited in her of hope and excitement and doing something maybe she cares about with their life. I think she used to just go to work as, you know, the job. And now it's kind of something more exciting, which is nice. So catching her at an interesting moment in her life. So you mentioned your character was born and raised in Ohio. But what about you? I'm from Boston. I grew up in Andover, Massachusetts, small town like right outside of Boston. And then I moved to New York for college. So I was there like when I was 18. I lived there for six years. And then I moved

out here. But now I got my entire family to move out here. So we're all California people now. Yeah. All right. So we always ask everyone, how did you get your job on the office? So how did you get your job on the paper? Can you tell us about your audition process? Oh my God. It's crazy. I'm sure is, you know, the stories always are, but I was in New York shooting something and I had a really rough year during the strike. I was the lead of a show for two years that was just a strike casualty and they were just like, we're throwing it in the trash. And I was like, I just really did never, never saw. It was kind of like my dream job that I was just like, well, that's, you know, now in the trash and nobody's ever going to see it.

And I was in a dark, dark hole as I'm, you know, we all kind of worked during that time. But anyway, I was luckily shooting a really sweet rom-com in New York playing just a fun little side character. And I did, you know, the audition. You, like, didn't know anything about the part. And so it was, you know, kind of just like dummy sides. So I was like, whatever. I'm just going to have fun with it. Like, I'm never going to hear about this again.

You know, it was kind of like the rumor going around that it was like the office reboot. But I have one thing to say. So we, so your audition sides were nothing that gave anything away about what you were doing. Is that correct? Yes. Yes. It literally said like untitled Greg Daniels and then the sides. I didn't even know what they were about.

Not about a newspaper. I didn't know what the character was. Literally nothing. And so, yeah. I just kind of put it on tape and totally improvised it with my friend Blake. And he was so sweet and did it with me a bunch. And I was like, great. Like, again, I'm never going to hear.

Like, I'm just never going to actually be up for this job. And so then I got a call that they wanted to see me, but I was in New York. And I, they were like, you can go to 30 Rock, which was like, okay. Like, I interned there when I was in. I interned there. You did? Yes, I interned on Conan O'Brien. I interned at late night with Seth Myers and then S&L.

I worked on the weekends on S&L. Are you kidding me? So it's like so surreal. Like I like walked back in and, you know, met Michael Komen, who was there. And we went in. And it was like, I'm so, I'm so grateful that I thought I would never get the job because I think I just had so much fun. Because I was like, I just, I'm never, again, like, it just like, even to the this day, I'm like, I'm never, I'm never going to get this job. Like, I'm doing the job that I'm

never actually going to get. And I went in and they kept me for like two hours and we just, they asked about me and about where I'm from and we're kind of like incorporating that into the character. And it was just one of the most surreal days of my life. Like, everybody else was on Zoom besides Michael, but he was kind of looking at me, like giving me like a little thumbs up. And, yeah, then I got a call later that day that I was. in a chemistry read. And this is where it's funny. I thought the show was set in Boston,

kind of like based on just like how we were talking. And so I started like making her really Boston-y when I came back in for the chemistry. And they were like, what are you doing? I was like, I thought she was supposed to have an accent. I was just kind of going crazy. And I then wrote Greg a letter saying that like I just wanted the part so bad. And because it was dummy sides, I thought her name was Paula.

I thought she was from Boston. I wrote this like heartfelt letter of why like nobody else can play Paula from Boston and it was like I just really put it all out there because I was like when else am I getting get the chance to write something to Greg Daniels

that he might actually read like whatever and then I got the part and her name is not Paula she's not from Boston I was like so embarrassed I was like oh my God and I like made it seem like there's nobody else who can do this like what I was terrible

but yeah that was the and then I got the call and it was the craziest thing ever. I still can't believe it. I'm like, yeah. This is an ad by BetterHelp. You know, it feels like nowadays there's advice for just about everything. It's like, do you write in your journal, do you do, I don't know, cleanses or the cold plunge or, you know, what helps you get through the day? What helps you get through stressful moments?

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So on the show, it's the same documentary crew that followed the folks at Dunder Mifflin, and now they're following you all here at the paper, what has it been like for you to like acknowledge the camera or look right at the camera? Was that a weird adjustment? Yeah, it is. I think it's also, I mean, I cannot tell you how many times I've rewatched the office. It's like the thing that I, you know, it's as everyone in the world, it was like my comfort show, my everything show, the show that when I'm working and away from home, it like reminds me of home and makes me, feel better. So I know everything. He'd be like

you know the episode and I would like pretend. I'd be like right. Yeah, no, the dinner party episode. I think I've seen that one. I'm like, I've seen it a hundred times. So anyway, I was so nervous about making it seem like I was kind of putting on something, like trying to do something that you guys had done. So the thing that I found was like trying to find

like my exact relationship to it and like whatever what I want from what I want whenever I'm looking at the camera and you know what also I want the camera not to know um but it's definitely taken a minute I feel like I actually don't know but I feel like somebody was like she needs to stop looking at the camera as much because during a couple episodes they're like you don't need to look at the camera for that one I was like okay I'm doing doing it too much um but yeah it's been a fun it's so fun I've never done a show like that where you get to interact with it I'm like scared for like the next thing if I ever, you know, work again.

And the next thing I do, I'm going to, like, be, like, looking at the camera. They're going to be, like, stop. It happens. Yeah. I mean, I, yeah, I think the job I had after the office was a Netflix show. And I looked right down the barrel of the camera one time. And they were like, hey, Angela, can you not look down the camera? Stop.

Okay, that makes you feel better. Wow. I want to ask you guys questions. You're going to be. How is it being back here? How do you guys feel? well it's really exciting to see some of our crew members that cross over um that's been actually really emotional um i mean i wish all the time that i could wake up and just like go back to one

day in the past and be on the set again and just with all the people including our crew and um make an episode so it's been a little bit i feel sentimental seeing people well we walked up the first person we saw was Sergio from, you know, big time catering. He, I mean, Sergio fed us for nine years. He got us both through like pregnancy cravings and, uh, the cast and the crew that we're still like a family. I think of us as a family and we still support each other and show up for each other. So I hope that for you because it's really special. Yeah. It's, that has been one of the nicest things is hearing how many people came back from doing it. And they were like, it was, I mean, they talk about it all the time.

They're like, because it's also true, like, now, you know, knock on wood, you get a show that goes on longer than a couple seasons, but it's so rare. And to hear about, like, you know, them seeing their children grow up and seeing you, like, all of you just go through marriages and it's just, it's crazy. It's, it's so special and it's so fun to hear about with, yeah, every, I mean, I'm just, like, thinking of every single person on the crew, but it's, uh, it really feels like what you guys created has just truly carried on and made something so special and you can feel it. I feel so lucky to even just like be around it and hear the stories. Well, I know that you mentioned that your

family is all out here with you now. And we also know that everyone has been sworn to secrecy. Yeah. During this whole taping. Yeah. What was it like when your family found out you booked this job? and what has it been like for you at holidays when they want to know stuff and you cannot tell them? What is the situation? Do you have like an aunt who's like pestering everyone and you're on like lockdown information? Well, first, you could probably get fired for saying this. Literally, like my agents called me when they told me they were like, do not tell anybody. I was like cry.

I was like, oh my God. I was also like on this. I was like at a dinner and you cannot tell it. Like do not tell your family. Don't tell your boyfriend, whatever. I was like, of course not. Literally immediately called my mom. I was like, I got it.

which is so bad. And then I told my mom, I was like, you cannot tell. And like my, I love my mother, the biggest mouth in the world. And like, she's so proud of me, which I love. But it's like, I was like, this one you really can't tell. And then I started getting really nervous because I could like tell that she told family member, I was like, if I lose my job because of this. So anyway, besides that, it is hard not telling people.

I mean, we have this like fake name, Zoom. that has become, we kind of all just call it Zoom, Zoom, Sue. I feel like I'm going to continue to call it Zoom, Zoom for forever. But yeah, it is, it's fun to keep it

a secret. Alan Havy, who's on the show, who's amazing, he's had really good advice because he did the last season of Mad Men, and he was like, he couldn't tell anybody up until it came out. And he's like, I'm telling you, in a day and age, we're now, like, we post

every single thing as it happens, like on Instagram, He's like, there's something so cool about nobody knowing and then the show just dropping and everybody being like, oh my God. And he was saying, he's like, you get that chance for the first time probably to do something like that. That is definitely so cool. So when Jenna and I arrived today, our directions were to zoom-soom. Am I saying it right?

Soom-sum. So even here on the universal lot, while you're filming, nowhere does it say the paper? Yeah. That's pretty wild, right? I mean, this is a big lot. and you're Sum-Sum. And we're Sum-Sum. Yeah.

The lady at the parking structure, I was like, yeah, I'm going to Soom-Sum. She was like, you're in parking 2160. I don't know. Like, she was like not having it. Well, do you know the story of it? No, what is the story of Sum-Sum? Wait, is Giuliana here? No.

Juliana Gregg's assistant. So while they were writing it, obviously they would get lunch every day. And there's this really amazing, I think Mediterranean restaurant, Soom-Sum. and I guess Juliana, his assistant, always wanted Sum-Sum, and she'd be like you'd be like, okay, what do we want for luncheon?

She'd be like, Sum-Sum? And it became a thing. And so one day they just asked Greg, they were like, oh, what do you want the alias or whatever to be? And he was like, I didn't think about it being the name of it. He was like, just call it Sum-Sum, like whatever. And now it's like literally every time

like we're pulling it everywhere. We have like water bottles with Sum-Sum on them now. Yeah, I wonder if there restaurant knows, I don't think so. They will. We'll one day, I think. Oh, well, this was so great. Thank you for sitting down with us, and we hope that, like, once the show comes out, we'd love to have you in our studio and you can talk to us more.

Well, you can tell us more specific storyline. Exactly. Yeah, you can tell us, like, you know, the whole arc of your character. We'd love to share about it. Thank you guys. So much. This is a dream. Thank you so much.

She's just so fun to be around. Yeah. Yeah, she was one of the first interviews that we did, actually. And she really put me at ease, which I appreciate it. I think she was nervous to talk to us because we were her first interview about the paper. But we were nervous to talk to her. Yes. You know, when Chelsea talked about keeping stuff secret from her family, I remember what that was like.

Because we did that on the office. I mean, we very famously kept Steve's return in the finale a secret, but I remember my family completely hounding me about what was going to happen between season two and season three after Jim kissed Pam on Casino Night. Oh, yeah? Yeah, they wanted to know, like, would I still be with Roy? Did I get with Jim? I didn't say anything.

Of course not. Well, you know, I love Chelsea's story about her audition and how she really, really committed to a Boston accent at first? I love that. That was great. Well, listen, thanks for listening. Next Friday, we are back with the super charming Sabrina impetitore. Oh, Sabrina.

I mean, Sabrina, I hung on your every word. I seriously can't wait for you to hear this one. All right. Well, see you next week. Thank you for listening to Office Ladies. Office Ladies is a presentation of Odyssey and is produced by Jenna Fisher. and Angela Kinsey. Our executive producer is Cassie Jerkins. Our audio engineer is Sam Kiefer, and our associate producer is Ainsley Bubbicoe. Odyssey's executive producer is Leah Reese Dennis.

Office Ladies was mixed and mastered by Bill Schultz. Our theme song is Ruppertree by Creed Bratton. Thank you.