The Office’s Most Famous Smooch Was Actually Improvised By Steve Carell

Summary:

• The Office was one of the most iconic sitcoms, still referenced in pop culture today.
• The show was shot in a documentary style, following the lives of the employees of Dunder Mifflin under the leadership of Michael Scott (Steve Carell).
• One of the show's most cringe-worthy scenes involves a kiss between Michael Scott and Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez). It turns out that the kiss was improvised.

There are two different types of scripted comedy shows: some allow as much improvisation and ad-libbing as the actors want, while others prefer that the actors stick to their scripts. Both methods of making a show actually work, as we've seen that both types of shows are very well received by both audiences and critics.

It's more than just a belief in the writers' talents that goes into such a decision. Depending on the show's budget, schedule, and setup, the extra takes may cost too much to even consider improvisation. Also, when shooting in front of a live audience, the more takes you take, the more boring the joke becomes.

The Big Bang Theory is one of the greatest examples of a sitcom that didn't really encourage improvisation. The actors had to practice their delivery and trust the writers' instincts about what would be the funniest in the final cut. On the other end of the spectrum is The Office. The sitcom allowed for improvisation and even let the actors break character.

Steve Carell’s Best Improv Decision on The Office

Although there are many wonderful jokes, looks, and other moments in The Office that have been suggested by the cast and have found their rightful way into the show, there is one particular one that stands out the most. It came from none other than Steve Carell, who portrays eccentric executive Michael Scott.

In an episode called Gay Witch Hunt (S3E1), it is revealed that Dunder Mifflin's accountant, Oscar Martinez, is gay. The situation is horribly mishandled by Michael Scott, who not only outs him but kisses him without consent.

In the script, the moment was just as cringy, but only suggested a tight hug. But Carell took it a step further, using his knowledge of physics to make it even more memorable.

“He wasn't supposed to kiss me, we were just supposed to hug, and he kept hugging me. And that particular take he came in really close, and I'm like, "Where is he going with this?" Oh, dear, yes here we go. And then I'm just thinking, ‘Oh God, nobody laugh so we can use it,’” Oscar Nunez, who portrayed Oscar Martinez on the show, recalled to AV Club.

Luckily, the take wasn’t ruined and made it to the show in its whole glory. If you want to rewatch The Office to find more moments of iconic improvisation like this, you can go ahead and stream the show on Hulu.

Source: AV Club