John Krasinski’s office tip lands Chelsea Frei in hot water on set of The Paper

Chelsea Frei, the star of Peacock’s The Paper, recounts how a casual piece of set advice from John Krasinski about desk contents nearly got her in trouble during an early shoot. Frei, 32, spoke with The Post about a surprise visit by Krasinski and Steve Carell to the trailer on the third day of filming a Lavazza commercial near the Universal Studios lot. The actors’ warmth helped the young series’ cast navigate nerves about living up to the legacy of The Office while establishing its own voice. “John Krasinski and Steve Carell showed up in the trailer like our third day of shooting, and they couldn’t have been sweeter,” Frei said, describing the moment as both uplifting and distracting from the work at hand.

During that visit, Krasinski pressed Frei to reveal what was in her desk on The Paper. He offered practical, if unexpected, guidance: “Hide good things in your desk. You’ve gotta have some fun stuff in there.” Frei recalled that adage as not only amusing but potentially consequential. Following his tip, she ended up bringing snacks to her desk, a decision that collided with security and production rules when a raccoon problem at the Universal lot created more attention than she anticipated. The crew eventually issued a reprimand: no more food at desks. Frei joked afterward that the misstep was, in fact, hers: “That’s not me!” she quipped, adding, “It 100 percent was me.”

The moment underscores how a chance interaction with two of The Office’s most beloved alums intersected with the practical realities of on-set life. Frei’s reflections come as she promotes an exhibition at The Paley Museum in Manhattan that runs through Sunday, November 16, commemorating 20 years since The Office first aired and spotlighting artifacts from both The Office and The Paper. The exhibit features a cross-section of beloved items—from Michael Scott’s principal office suit to Meredith Palmer’s Casual Friday dress and Dwight Schrute’s wedding attire—to anchor a larger conversation about the franchise’s impact and its spinoff, The Paper, which centers on a newsroom in Ohio and is currently streaming on Peacock. The Paper’s costumes are also part of the Paley display, illustrating how the show has carved its own identity within the broader Office universe.

The Paley exhibit comes as a broader reflection on the two-series universe that continues to draw fans and new viewers alike. Frei noted that her conversations with Carell touched on the delicate balance between honoring the original while allowing newer iterations to stand on their own. Carell spoke to the ensemble about the inevitability of comparisons when a show inevitably becomes linked to its predecessor. Frei recalled Carell explaining that while the UK version of The Office predated the American adaptation, the important thing is to “let that go and do your own thing.” He later reiterated to Frei that while the franchise is special, performers should cultivate their own voice within the established world. Frei said the guidance felt both humble and practical for actors who wanted to honor a beloved legacy without being defined by it.

The Paper, which follows the staff of a fictional Ohio newspaper, is part of a broader The Office ecosystem that continues to animate fan interest and critical discussion two decades after the original premiered. The show’s cast also includes Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore, with production and creative teams emphasizing that The Paper remains its own entity within the Office universe. The Paley Museum display features both costumes and props from The Office and The Paper, offering fans a tangible link to the beloved characters and an opportunity to compare the evolutions of the two shows. The on-site exhibit is complemented by streaming availability on Peacock, enabling audiences to experience the spinoff in context with the broader Office canon.

Carell’s and Krasinski’s appearances on set in those early days of The Paper’s production illustrate how a franchise’s legacy can intersect with a new creative venture in ways that are both intimate and influential. Frei’s account highlights how a simple piece of advice can spark a broader dialogue about crafting a distinctive voice within an established fictional world. The Paley Museum exhibit, meanwhile, serves as a live archive that invites longtime fans to revisit Michael Scott’s world while discovering the new dynamics of Frei’s Mare and her colleagues in The Paper.

Looking ahead, Frei and her co-stars and the creators behind The Paper appear ready to invest in the show’s potential to stand apart from The Office while paying homage to what made the original so resonant. The exhibition’s run through November 16 provides a finite window for fans to engage with a curated cross-section of props and costumes drawn from both series, while Peacock continues to stream The Paper for those exploring the latest chapter in the Office-verse. For Frei, the experience on set—mixed with the warmth of Krasinski and Carell and the ongoing nostalgia surrounding The Office—offers a reminder that audiences ultimately respond to authentic storytelling concentrated in a familiar world, even as new voices push the universe forward.