The Office: The Real Reason Behind Dwight's "Ugliest" Haircut
A bad hair day is one of the most humiliating experiences you can have (yes, even after high school). They always seem to happen at the worst time and draw all eyes, even if nobody says a word. We've all endured them with some lasting longer than others. But have you experienced a bad hair day that lasted nine years?
For Dwight Schrute (played by Rainn Wilson) of The Office, his bad hair day lasted the entire duration of the show. Contrary to what you may think, Rainn is the sole individual responsible for Dwight's peculiar choice of styling.
An Affinity for Dwight
Rainn has gone on record saying that Dwight is an unforgettable character that he is "so lucky to have had [the] experience" of portraying (via Yahoo). Dwight's terrible mop-top and lack of social skills were all the elements needed to produce "the role of a lifetime", Wilson remarked. The connection with Dwight was instantaneous, with the actor knowing he wanted to land that specific role in the early stages of the auditioning process.
The haircut was inspired by Mackenzie Crook, who portrayed Gareth Keenan on the British version of the show, which was the inspiration for The Office U.S. Wilson recalls reading an interview with him where he stated he had gone to a local barbershop and requested the most unflattering cut for his head. Wilson immediately jumped on board and thought "Oh, I want to do that!" From there, Dwight's infamous hack-job was born, and Rainn Wilson could not have been happier.
No One to Blame but Myself
Though Wilson enjoyed his time on the show immensely, he was happy to be relieved of its bad-hair duties when it ended. He hated it so much when not in character, that he worked his hardest to make it "not Dwight-ish" on his days off.
"One thing I will not miss," he stated in his Yahoo interview, "is Dwight's hairstyling and the terrible middle part, and I have no one to blame but myself".
Rainn Wilson takes pride in his season 1 contribution, and his dedication to cultivate the "worst possible haircut" for Dwight Schrute. In the spinoff series based on Schrute Farms, Wilson did not resume the role. However, Rainn Wilson will always be Dwight in our hearts. As for the haircut, it will remain synonymous with the most intense man to set foot into Dunder Mifflin.