Actor Oscar Nuñez Goes From 'the Office' To 'the Paper'

More than 12 years aft bidding farewell to nan prickly and pragmatic accountant he played connected nan acclaimed NBC mockumentary “The Office,” character Oscar Nuñez is reprising his career-defining domiciled arsenic Oscar Martinez successful a caller spinoff from nan aforesaid imaginative team.

But nan Cuban American character wants to make 1 point abundantly clear to die-hard fans of nan original Dunder Mifflin Paper Company: “The Paper,” which premieres Thursday connected Peacock and has already been renewed for a 2nd season, is much of a belief successor than a nonstop offshoot of “The Office.”

“We’re successful a caller location successful that universe,” Nuñez told NBC News successful a caller interview. “It’s a brand-new show pinch a full caller formed — different than myself being there, because I was portion of nan woody erstwhile they bought nan insubstantial company.”

Created by Greg Daniels, who developed nan American type of “The Office,” and Michael Koman, “The Paper” finds nan aforesaid unseen documentary crew, who captured nan workplace antics astatine nan Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of Dunder Mifflin, heading to Toledo, Ohio, to seizure a ragtag group of employees’ last-ditch effort to move astir a struggling small-town newspaper.

Oscar Nuñez arsenic Oscar Martinez successful "The Paper."John P. Fleenor / Peacock

In nan early minutes of nan aviator episode, nan documentary unit reveals that Dunder Mifflin was purchased by Enervate, an Ohio-based conglomerate that sells products made retired of paper, successful 2019.

Oscar is 1 of nan only Dunder Mifflin labor who decided to relocate himself to nan company’s office aft nan sale, but he is surely not thrilled to travel face-to-face pinch nan aforesaid group who prowled astir his aged workplace. “God, not again! I’m not agreeing to any of this,” he says successful nan pilot. “You can’t usage my voice, my likeness, my face, nothing!” (A title paper suggests otherwise: “Yes we can. There’s nary extremity day connected nan merchandise Oscar signed successful 2005.”)

In 2020, 7 years aft nan show ended, “The Office” became nan most-streamed show successful America, racking up complete 57.7 cardinal full minutes watched and reigniting talks of a reunion aliases a reboot. According to Daniels, who had openly said that a emblematic reboot of “The Office” was “not of interest” to him, he took Nuñez “out to luncheon a bunch of years agone astatine a rooftop excavation astatine a Beverly Hills edifice and told him nan idea” of a caller show centered astir paper.

“It’s really 20 years aft nan show debuted, which seemed for illustration a bully excuse for nan doc unit to return and stumble onto a caller taxable to research pinch caller characters,” Daniels told NBC News. “I was ever worried astir a spinoff negatively affecting nan original show, but successful talking pinch nan original formed successful caller years, I realized I was nan only 1 still anxious astir that.”

From nan outset, Daniels knew he wanted Oscar to beryllium nan connective insubstantial betwixt nan 2 shows. “The logic Oscar useful for me, successful summation to his awesome drama talent, is that his characteristic connected ‘The Office’ was possibly nan only 1 who didn’t evolve,” Daniels explained. “He didn’t time off to tally a bar, he didn’t move to Austin and get into sports management, he didn’t get married, he didn’t uncover he sewage a Ph.D. He was beautiful overmuch nan aforesaid personification pinch his self-dignity intact astatine nan end. There was nary closure to reopen, and we are free to spot what happens to him now without that worry that we’re changing nan ending of nan different show.”

Chelsea Frei arsenic Mare and Oscar Nuñez arsenic Oscar Martinez successful "The Paper."Troy Harvey / Peacock

Nuñez, for his part, recalled Daniels asking him “in a very roundabout, wide fashion” whether he would beryllium willing successful returning to “The Office” universe. The 2 met aggregate times arsenic Daniels was fleshing retired nan concept, but it wasn’t until Daniels invited him to meet nan writers of “The Paper” past twelvemonth that Nuñez realized nan show was really happening.

Any trepidation that he felt astir stepping backmost into his onscreen change ego’s shoes was quickly assuaged connected nan first time of filming.

“It was very exciting. I deliberation Paul Lieberstein might’ve been location [to visit],” Nuñez said, referring to “The Officer” showrunner and character who played nan domiciled of Toby Flenderson. “It was nosy to spot Paul and Greg, and a batch of nan unit was location too. It was a small strange, but I’m playing nan aforesaid character, truthful that portion was easy.”

The 'know-it-all' accountant lands successful a newsroom

“I emotion that he’s a snob, that he’s a know-it-all aliases thinks he’s a know-it-all. I emotion group pinch delusions of grandeur. I deliberation it’s a very funny trait,” nan character said astir his character. “It’s benignant of nan aforesaid character, but successful a different spot pinch possibly little friends, possibly trying to consciousness retired caller people. He’s conscionable trying to make friends, but he hasn’t had immoderate awesome changes successful his psyche; he hasn’t changed nan measurement he thinks astir group aliases thing for illustration that.”

But that is not to opportunity that Oscar is exactly nan aforesaid personification he was during “The Office.” In “The Paper,” Oscar is encouraged to return much risks by idealistic, caller editor-in-chief Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson), who is nan antithesis of Oscar’s erstwhile boss, nan self-absorbed head Michael Scott (Steve Carell). Ned initially wants to prosecute much reporters to grow nan paper’s coverage, but aft moving into budgetary constraints, he convinces nan agency unit to unpaid arsenic amateur reporters alongside their paid jobs. While moving arsenic nan caput accountant, Oscar yet develops an enthusiasm for reporting astir nan arts.

Brian Baumgartner arsenic Kevin Malone, Oscar Nuñez arsenic Oscar Martinez and Angela Kinsey arsenic Angela Martin successful "The Office."Chris Haston / NBC

Since nan extremity of “The Office,” Nuñez has continued to clasp nan domiciled that transformed him from a little-known impermanent prima into a fixture connected 1 of nan astir celebrated shows of each time, appearing astatine instrumentality conventions alongside erstwhile castmates. He has been peculiarly touched by nan consequence he has received from younger fans, who are mostly responsible for nan show’s streaming renaissance.

“I hide my character’s cheery because clip goes by and years spell by, and past I spell to a normal and young group travel up to maine and go, ‘Hey, convey you, man. I came retired because of you. You helped maine travel out.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh s---, that’s right. My character’s gay. You’re welcome. I’m gladsome I helped,’” Nuñez said. “I get each these thank-yous from these young group that it intends truthful overmuch to, and it’s very moving.”

Nuñez, who has been captious of President Donald Trump’s determination to rotation backmost ineligible protections for LGBTQ people, said that he thinks “it’s much important now than ever” that his characteristic is gay. “I for illustration representing, defending and celebrating cheery culture, particularly erstwhile it’s nether attack,” he said. “It shouldn’t beryllium an rumor astatine each — what colour your tegument is, aliases what belief you are, aliases your intersexual orientation. It shouldn’t beryllium anyone’s business. Don’t legislate against group and make their lives horrible, aliases prime connected group aliases scapegoat people. That’s not right.”

Oscar Nuñez arsenic Oscar Martinez successful "The Paper."Aaron Epstein / Peacock

Nuñez knows that thing will ever beryllium capable to comparison to “The Office,” which he believes was “just a funny show that holds up” because of “great writing” and a “great cast,” but he believes “The Paper” will entreaty to newcomers and die-hards alike.

But arsenic for whether immoderate erstwhile Dunder Mifflin labor could popular up successful early seasons of “The Paper,” Nuñez insisted those decisions are supra his salary grade. “It’s retired of my hands. It’s retired of their hands. That’s not up to us,” he said. “It’s up to nan penning room and immoderate ideas they’ll travel up with!”