Latest news with #mockumentary
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson reveals little-known secret about the beloved show
Modern Family won a staggering 22 Primetime Emmys and is beloved by fans - but five years after it ended, one of its lead actors has shared a little-known fact about the long-running series. Jesse Tyler Ferguson, 49, recently revealed the tidbit on an episode of his podcast titled Dinner's on Me with guest Wendie Malick. Ferguson, who played Mitchell Pritchard in the sitcom which ran from 2009 to 2020, explained the show's documentary-style format - which he admitted fell by-the-way side after the first few seasons. '[The reason] it was a mockumentary, although we never explained this, was a very early version of Modern Family had a foreign exchange student that had stayed with Mitchell, my character, and (Julie Bowen 's) Claire when we were young,' he told the Shrinking actress. 'And he was coming back to do a documentary about this family he lived with when he was a kid, and the title of it was My American Family,' the actor continued. He explained they ended up cutting the exchange student's character and renaming the show. 'But the construct of it still being a mockumentary was there, but we never explained why,' he added. He further elaborated by saying in the very early seasons, 'we would really try and hold onto the reality that we were with a film crew.' The father-of-two added the difference in style is evident in earlier seasons of the show. 'If you watch early episodes, it's like, "Oh, it actually is feasible that this is a reality show." And then season five, six is just, like, we're opening our doors coming home from getting groceries and there's a camera crew in our house, and no one questions that,' he joked. When Modern Family premiered in 2009, mockumentary-style sitcoms were becoming increasingly popular, following the success of the U.S. and U.K. Office. In the same year, Parks and Recreation also premiered, in a satire mockumentary style. Ferguson remains close to his Modern Family co-stars, regularly sharing photos with them - even officiating the 2022 wedding between his on-screen niece Sarah Hyland and her husband, Bachelor Nation's Wells Adams, at the Californian Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez. In 2023, Ty Burell, who famously played goofy but lovable dad Phil Dunphy in the hit series, had to stave off death-rumors after he wasn't present at a cast reunion held by Sofia Vergara. Fans panicked after Vergara shared a snap of the cast together, calling it: 'The first Modern Family reunion.' Fears began to spiral due to the fact his castmates held a framed photo of him in one image, while several of them stated 'We miss you, Ty!' in an accompanying video. In March, the actor proved he is alive and well as he made an appearance on Fergusons' podcast. Ferguson was the first to bring up the death rumors following the reunion to which Burrell joked: 'Well, I died. Remember how I died? Do you remember how I died?' 'Everybody in the cast was telling me that, you know, apparently I passed.' Ferguson noted: 'It was so funny. When we look back on that, we're like, because we brought a photo of you to include you in all the family pictures and we were like, "well yeah it does sort of look like we were having a memorial for you."' Ferguson explained that including a photo of Burrell was meant to be a joke as it was his 'least favorite press photo.' 'You were basically punishing me for missing the reunion, which I deserved,' Burrell teased. 'It was the photo of me in the headphones doing the rock and roll heavy metal sign.' Ferguson has been married to fellow actor Justin Mikita since 2013, after the pair married in a private ceremony in Manhattan. Ferguson and Mikita welcomed both of their sons via surrogacy — Beckett Mercer was born in July 2020 and Sullivan Louis in November 2022. Back in April, the actor told People: 'We had a wonderful surrogate who carried both Beckett and Sullivan. We are so grateful for her and her family. We became friends with her and her husband.'
Khaleej Times
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
What we know about ‘The Paper,' the upcoming ‘Office' spinoff
It's been 20 years since the U.S. version of 'The Office' debuted on NBC, where it ran for nine acclaimed seasons and endured as a pop culture juggernaut well after its finale. It lives on in countless memes and catchphrases, and the network says it remains one of its most streamed shows. So it should surprise no one that the sitcom, as delightfully cringy as it is lovable, is finally getting a spinoff: 'The Paper.' Here's what we know so far about the new show. Extra, Extra! Read All About It NBCUniversal revealed at its May upfront presentation that 'The Paper' would debut on its streaming platform Peacock in September. The sitcom is being created by Greg Daniels and Michael Koman. Daniels was behind the American adaptation of 'The Office,' and Koman created Comedy Central's 'Nathan For You' alongside its star, Nathan Fielder, a king of deadpan comedy. Daniels and Koman are executive producers of 'The Paper,' as are Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the duo behind the original British version of 'The Office' (which ran from 2001 to 2003). What's the Same, and What's Different? Like 'The Office,' 'The Paper' is a mockumentary sitcom about an industry in trouble: this time, the newspaper business, as opposed to the paper business of the original. It is also set in the same universe as the original. The same fictional documentary crew that followed the employees of Dunder Mifflin in Scranton, Pennsylvania, is now following those who work at The Truth Teller, a fictional newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, whose publisher is trying to revive it with the help of volunteer reporters. Oscar Nuñez is returning as Oscar Martinez, who will now work in accounting at The Truth Teller. 'I told Mr. Greg Daniels that if Oscar came back, he would probably be living in a more bustling, cosmopolitan city,' Nuñez said at the presentation last week. 'Greg heard me, and he moved Oscar to Toledo, Ohio, which has three times the population of Scranton. So it was nice to be heard.' So far, Nuñez is the only 'Office' alum who is confirmed for the new series, but John Krasinski (who played Jim Halpert) told ET he would make a cameo if Daniels asked him. 'I will do anything for that guy,' Krasinski said. 'He calls, I'll show up.' In April, Jenna Fischer (Pam Beesly) and Angela Kinsey (Angela Martin) told the Today show that they had swung by the set of 'The Paper' and run into Nuñez and much of 'The Office' crew, whom Kinsey called 'our extended family.' The new series will be led by actors Domhnall Gleeson, most famous for his role in Alex Garland's 2015 sci-fi film 'Ex Machina,' and Sabrina Impacciatore, most famous for her role as the no-nonsense hotel manager during Season 2 of HBO's 'The White Lotus.' Impacciatore will play the managing editor of The Truth Teller, and Gleeson will play a new employee. What Has 'The Office' Crew Been Up to, Anyway? 'The Office' had an expansive regular cast, many of whom have stayed busy since the show's end in 2013. Here's some of what a handful of the show's biggest stars have done since. Steve Carell Carell exited 'The Office' during Season 7 having earned six lead actor Emmy nominations for playing Michael Scott. Carell has since expanded his repertoire. In 2014, he played against type for his role in the sports thriller 'Foxcatcher,' which earned him a best actor Oscar nomination. He has also voiced Gru across the 'Despicable Me' film franchise, starred in Wes Anderson's 2023 sci-fi comedy film 'Asteroid City' and last year performed on Broadway in 'Uncle Vanya.' This year, he can be seen in the Netflix comedy-drama miniseries 'The Four Seasons,' and later this month, he'll appear alongside Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith and Ramy Youssef in the Jesse Armstrong satire 'Mountainhead' on HBO. Rainn Wilson Of all 'The Office' stars, Wilson might have had the hardest time shaking his character Dwight Schrute, the yin to Michael Scott's yang. The role earned Wilson three Emmy nominations. Nonetheless, he has worked consistently since the show's end across genres — including roles on the CBS sitcom 'Mom,' the 2018 box office hit 'The Meg' and in the musical 'Urinetown' at New York City Center. His most personal project might be the 2023 five-episode docuseries on Peacock, 'Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss,' which took him around the world to explore the meaning of happiness. John Krasinski Few fans probably predicted that Krasinski — who played the quintessential good guy Jim Halpert — would pivot to sci-fi horror with staggering success. His 2018 film 'A Quiet Place,' which he wrote, directed and starred in opposite his wife, Emily Blunt, was both a critical darling and a box office blockbuster. He followed it up in 2021 with the box office success 'A Quiet Place Part II,' which Krasinski wrote and directed, and 2024's 'A Quiet Place: Day One,' which he helped write and produce. Also from 2018 to 2023, he played Jack Ryan, the titular character in the Amazon Prime action-thriller series from novelist Tom Clancy. Jenna Fischer Jenna Fischer, whose role as Pam Beesly earned her an Emmy nomination, has also worked steadily since 'The Office' ended — including in the British comedy-drama 'You, Me and the Apocalypse,' the ABC sitcom 'Splitting Up Together' and in last year's remake of 'Mean Girls' — though it's her 'Office'-adjacent podcast that has given her the most success. 'Office Ladies,' which she hosts alongside Angela Kinsey, her real-life best friend who played the tightly wound accountant Angela Martin, has been a hit since its debut in 2019. In each installment, the pair rewatch and break down an episode of 'The Office,' as well as offer behind-the-scene stories. In 2022, they published the book 'The Office BFFs,' which shot to No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list. Mindy Kaling Of all 'The Office' alums, Kaling — an Emmy-nominated show writer who also starred as the chatty, self-centered customer service representative Kelly Kapoor — has had the most small-screen success. As 'The Office' ended, she immediately moved on to her sitcom 'The Mindy Project,' which she created, produced and starred in for six seasons, first on Fox and then on Hulu. In 2020, the critically acclaimed comedy 'Never Have I Ever,' which Kaling co-created and based loosely on her childhood, began its four-season run on Netflix. From 2021 to 2025, Kaling's comedy 'The Sex Lives of College Girls,' which she co-created and served on as a showrunner, ran on HBO. Her newest show, 'Running Point,' starring Kate Hudson, debuted in January on Netflix and has already been renewed for a second season.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Office spin-off slammed by furious die-hard fans: 'Horrible idea'
Fans of The Office have expressed their outrage over the upcoming spin-off with many asking if it's really needed. The Paper, starring Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore, is a new mockumentary set in the same universe as the beloved sitcom. The Office fan favorite actor Oscar Nunez has also been re-cast in the show, adding to the nostalgia element, with the network revealing the same documentary crew that filmed Dundler Mifflin's Scranton branch will be used. Due to premiere in September, The Paper will follow the hilarious trials and turmoil of an office in a different kind of paper business. Instead of selling paper like the Dunder Mifflin crew in The Office, The Paper centers around a newspaper staff. 'The crew is in search of a new subject when they discover a historic Toledo newspaper, The Truth Teller, and the eager publisher that is trying to revive it,' Peacock said. The American version of The Office was based on the classic UK series of the same name created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. It premiered in 2005, with Steve Carrell starring as the manager of a paper company branch in Scranton, Pennsylvania, while Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer were among the branch's employees. Greg Daniels, who developed the American version, co-created the upcoming series with Michael Koman. Daniels and Koman will executive produce the show with Gervais and Merchant, Howard Klein, Ben Silverman and Banijay Americas. After Peacock announced fresh updates on The Paper on Monday, die-hard fans of The Office took to social media where they struggled to welcome the spin-off with open arms. Taking to social media, one vented: 'EWWWWWWW WE DONT WANT IT.' 'This is a horrible idea,' another said. A third pointed out: 'This series launched in 2001. We gotta let things end and showcase new ideas.' 'We really need this?' asked a fourth. A fifth simply wrote: 'They can't outdo the doer.' 'The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters,' the logline reads; Steve Carrell pictured Others have said they will give it a try. 'Lowkey interested, not gonna lie,' one posted. 'Gotta see how they do it.' Oscar spoke about the upcoming series at NBCUniversal's Upfront event on Monday. Speaking to audiences about returning to his character, he said: 'I told Mr. Greg Daniels that if Oscar came back, he would probably be living in a more bustling, cosmopolitan city. 'Greg heard me and he moved Oscar to Toledo, Ohio — which has three times the population of Scranton. So, it was nice to be heard.'
The Verge
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Peacock's Office spinoff starts streaming in September
The Office cinematic universe is expanding this fall. Peacock has given the previously announced spinoff of the mockumentary series a streaming date and name, while also revealing a first image. It's called The Paper, and it will premiere in September. The image, meanwhile, sure looks like an office. Of a newspaper. The show will feature the same documentary crew as The Office, but this time they're following the exploits of a small town newspaper. As the official logline explains, 'the crew is in search of a new subject when they discover a historic Toledo newspaper, The Truth Teller, and the eager publisher that is trying to revive it.' Greg Daniels, showrunner on The Office, and Michael Koman — best-known as a writer on Nathan for You and Late Night with Conan O'Brien — are serving as writers and executive producers. Meanwhile, the cast includes Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young, Tim Key, and Oscar Nuñez.
