The US version of The Office was a bit like marmite for audiences – you either loved it, or you hated it. But if you were a fan of the romance-laden American sitcom, then never fear: we’ve put together a list of the real-life partners of The Office cast.
Scroll down to find out all about the romantic lives of The Office cast, including some famous faces and even a few Office inter-relationships.
25. John Krasinski and Emily Blunt
John Krasinski played the lead role of Jim Halpert in The Office, a part which quickly shot him to household name status. Krasinski starred in every single episode of the hit US comedy as the goofy, mild-mannered salesman, who was hopelessly in love with his co-worker Pam Beesly, played by Jenna Fischer. But whilst his on-screen relationship with Pam provided the central love interest of the series, away from The Office Krasinski has been happily married to English actress Emily Blunt for over a decade.
Krasinski and Blunt tied the knot in 2010 after dating for two years, and they now share two daughters together: Hazel, born February 2014, and Violet, born July 2016. John and Emily are so close that they even starred in John’s 2018 horror film A Quiet Place together. The actress revealed that despite her friends’ concerns about a potential divorce being on the cards after their stressful professional collaboration, she believes the experience was ‘really super-bonding’.
24. Jenna Fischer and Lee Kirk
Jenna Fischer famously played receptionist (and later office manager) Pam Beesly on the show, and viewers quickly fell in love with her quiet but steely persona. At the start of the series she was engaged to the burly warehouse worker Roy, but it was her flirtatious relationship with ‘friend’ Jim Halpert that really sizzled on-screen.
Despite the fact that Fischer has previously emphasised how much she loved working with Krasinski, she’s has actually been married since 2010 to Lee Kirk, who has produced Ordinary World (2016) and The Giant Mechanical Man (2012), in which he directed his wife. Fischer was previously married to Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn from 2000 to 2008, and the ex-spouses maintain a friendly relationship.
23. Steve Carell and Nancy Carell
After a commendable career that began on political satire The Daily Show, Steve Carell shot to stardom as leading man Michael Scott in The Office. As America’s answer to David Brent, his character was awkward, inappropriate and yet in spite of all his flaws, Michael was lovable too. Fans of the series were delighted when the branch manager finally found love with HR rep Holly after a series of disastrous relationships. However, off-screen Carell is happily married to his wife Nancy – the pair have been married since 1995.
Carell first met Nancy Walls when she attended an improvisation class he was teaching at Second City. They have two children together: Elisabeth ‘Annie’ Anne Carell, born 2001, and John Carell, born 2004. Like co-star Krasinski with his wife, Steve and Nancy have worked together several times in the past – they both starred in The Daily Show and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and even co-created the comedy series Angie Tribeca together.
22. BJ Novak and Mindy Kaling
BJ Novak and Mindy Kaling were a true Office couple – they were both writers and actors on the show, and their characters (Ryan and Kelly) even dated on-screen. In fact, producers were so enamoured of B.J. and Mindy’s real-life on-off relationship that they wrote it into The Office for the two performers to act out! Yep, the hilarious interactions between too-cool-for-school Ryan and babbling HR rep Kelly were actually based on the real-life relationship between the two actors.
Unfortunately, B.J. and Mindy couldn’t make things work in real life, having last broken up in 2007, but the pair remain friends to this day. Mindy gave birth to her daughter Katherine in 2017, and she had a son, Spencer, in 2020. She is private about her love life, and has never revealed the paternity of her children. She is a single mother and has commented, “I save a truly staggering amount of time not having to run my parenting decisions by another person.” However, BJ Novak is a dedicated godfather to both Spencer and Katherine.
21. Rainn Wilson and Holiday Reinhorn
Rainn Wilson played everybody’s favourite office salesman Dwight Schrute. Dwight was a hilarious jobsworth who despised his co-worker Jim and just wanted to do what he was good at: make sales and grow beets on his farm. In The Office, Dwight had a secret affair with Angela Martin (whom he later ended up marrying). Away from the small screen, actor Rainn Wilson has been happily married to his wife Holiday Reinhorn since 1995.
The couple met at an acting class in Oregon and now have one son together named Walter, born 2004. Wilson and Reinhorn now split their time between LA and Oregon; Rainn keeps a number of animals at their house in the latter, including a zonkey and two pot-bellied pigs! Holiday is a fiction writer who specialises in short stories – she’s worked with her husband on his Soul Pancake Youtube channel which promotes mindful living and mental health awareness amongst young people.
20. Angela Kinsey and Joshua Snyder
Angela Kinsey played her namesake Angela Martin on The Office for the full eight years the show was on the air. Angela was known for her strict approach to work and no-fun policy, which often meant she was at odds with a lot of her colleagues. But the actress behind this iconic role is a bubbly personality, and she is very close friends with her Office co-stars Rainn Wilson and Jenna Fischer.
On top of that, she married Joshua Snyder, an actor and baker – the pair got hitched in 2016. Kinsey was previously married to Warren Lieberstein, the brother of Paul Lieberstein, who played Toby Flenderson in The Office. Kinsey and Lieberstein married in 2000 and had a child together, daughter Isabel Ruby, before divorcing ten years later. They are still on good terms, so luckily there was little awkwardness on the set of The Office between Kinsey and Lieberstein.
19. Paul Lieberstein and Janine Poreba
Paul Lieberstein played bumbling HR rep Toby Flenderson at the Scranton branch office, and his love life was never all that successful. Toby harboured a crush on Pam for years, only to see her get married to their co-worker Jim. Luckily, actor Paul has been far luckier in love – he’s been married to Janine Serafin Poreba, a Harvard-educated academic, for over ten years and the couple now reside in the trendy Brentwood area of Los Angeles.
Poreba appeared in a 2007 episode of The Office, Dunder Mifflin Infinity, as Toby’s new girlfriend Amy. Their marriage was announced in the New York Times after a mixed-faith ceremony was held at Battery Gardens, NYC in 2008. Funnily enough, as well as Paul’s brother Warren being married to Angela Kinsey, his sister Susanne Lieberstein is the wife of Greg Daniels, the head writer of The Office. The NBC show was definitely an all-family affair for the Liebersteins!
18. David Denman and Mercedes Mason
David Denman was a popular supporting character in the early seasons of The Office – for the first three series’ he played Pam’s burly fiancé, Roy Anderson. Roy was famously indifferent to setting a marriage date with Pam and the couple only seemed to be together for the sake of it. Denman later starred in Brightburn (2018), a horror movie produced by Pam actress Jenna Fischer’s ex-husband, James Gunn.
Denman found love with fellow actor Mercedes Mason, who starred in Fear The Walking Dead. The pair have been married since 2014. They have two children together: Caius, born in 2018, and Sagan who was born in 2021. Denman was previously married to the actress and singer Nikki Boyer between 2001 and 2010.
17. Will Ferrell and Viveca Paulin
Comedy legend Will Ferrell had a brief spell on the show as Deangelo Vickers, lasting for four episodes shortly after the departure of Michael Scott. Deangelo was a hilarious character who quickly became a fan favourite despite his brief run – sadly, he just wasn’t the right fit to head up Dunder Mifflin thanks to his blatant sexism and disastrous managing style.
In reality, things have fared a lot better for Ferrell, who has been happily married to his Swedish wife Viveca Paulin since 2000. The couple met at an acting class in 1995 and have been together ever since. They also share three sons: Magnus Paulin Ferrell (born March 7, 2004), Mattias Paulin Ferrell (born December 30, 2006), and Axel Paulin Ferrell (born January 23, 2010). Ferrell can even speak a smattering of Swedish thanks to his wife.
16. Ellie Kemper and Michael Koman
Ellie Kemper has had a runaway career since starring as Erin, the kooky receptionist in The Office, having gone on to star in her very own Netflix show: The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. But fans of the US mockumentary will always remember her as Erin, Andy’s long-time love interest. Erin and Andy had a strange relationship on the show – it was often awkward and neither character ever seemed to be in the right place at the right time.
Fortunately, Ellie doesn’t have the same relationship troubles in real life because she’s been happily married to Michael Koman since 2012. Koman is Jewish whilst Kemper is Catholic, an issue which she joked finally came to a head when they were deciding how to baptise their son, James (born 2016). They went down the Catholic route in the end, but according to an interview with Stephen Colbert, their son screamed the entire way through the service!
15. Brian Baumgartner and Celeste Ackelson
The lovable Kevin Malone is an expert basketball player, chili cook and trivia champion. But his social struggles lead him into some painfully awkward encounters with his co-workers and love interests. A recurring character in Season One, he became a starring character for every subsequent series thanks to his popularity with Office fans.
Brian Baumgartner, the actor who plays Kevin, has had a lot more success in the romance department than his fictional counterpart. Since 2014, he’s been married to Celeste Ackelson. The pair’s daughter, Brylee Bea, was born in 2015. “She told me she looks forward to catching up on all the old episodes of The Office once her eyes adjust to life,” Baumgartner said of his newborn child.
14. Kate Flannery and Chris Haston
The unforgettable Meredith Palmer was known for her wildly inappropriate behaviour and laid-back attitude. She was actually portrayed by Henriette Mantel in the pilot episode, before Kate Flannery took over and ultimately won two Screen Actors Guild Awards for this quirky role.
Kate Flannery first met her long-time partner, NBC photographer Chris Haston, on the set of The Office. On one occasion, she invited the crew to watch her new comedy act. Haston attended and then asked her out on a date. “So, literally, we are kind of Jim and Pam,” Flannery has said. “Because we worked together… but we didn’t start dating until the end of season two.”
13. Ed Helms and unknown
Determined to make the nickname ‘Nard-Dog’ stick, Andy Bernard has often been listed among the most annoying characters on television. But he eventually redeems himself with his co-workers and TV fans, as he reveals a kinder and more relaxed side to his personality. Andy is a musical theatre fanatic, and he is very proud of his alma mater, Cornell University.
Despite his fame, Ed Helms is very private about his family life. He is married, but he has never named his wife in public. In a 2019 interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Helms mentioned that a rumour once spread that he was having an affair with the actress Demi Moore – and this idea made his wife laugh. “‘Can you believe that tabloid thought that you and Demi Moore could be a couple? I mean that is insane!'”, he recollected her comment.
12. Oscar Nunez and Ursula Whittaker
Oscar Martinez is another accountant at the Dunder Mifflin team. The son of Mexican immigrants, Oscar is gay (as revealed in the episode ‘Gay Witch Hunt’), which made him the only LGBT lead or supporting character who was a person of colour to feature on a comedy TV show in 2007 – 2008. Oscar is brainy and skilled at his job, but he is often branded a know-it-all by his colleagues.
The real-life Oscar Nunez is the son of Cuban immigrants, and he is straight. With his wife Ursula Whittaker, who is a stage actress and stand-up comedian, he has one daughter named August Luce Nunez. This family has adopted a large menagerie of pets including more than 10 retired show dogs.
11. Melora Hardin and Gildart Jackson
Pam describes Jan Levinson as “one of the most erratic and terrifying people I have ever met.” Over the course of the show, Jan transforms from a perfectly normal figure to a villain, trapping Michael in a toxic relationship and controlling her co-workers. Volatile and chaotic, she ends up losing her job during a fit of rage and going to work for the White Pages phone book company.
Jan actress Melora Hardin went on to star in Monk, Transparent and The Bold Type. She has been married to the English actor Gildart Jackson, who played Gideon in Charmed, for over 25 years. Hardin and Jackson first connected at a movie wrap party, with Hardin noting: “That was kind of an office romance because sets are my office.” Their daughters are named Rory and Piper.
10. Rashida Jones and Ezra Koenig
Rashida Jones plays Karen Filippelli, a clever and sociable sales representative who begins a relationship with Jim. Fans were so passionate about Jim and Pam ending up together, that the actress Jones was fearful about the backlash: “I had anxiety and insomnia for the three weeks before my season aired,” she said. “I was sure people would come and egg my house for getting in between Pam and Jim.”
In real life, Rashida Jones – who is the daughter of legendary musician Quincy Jones – has been in a relationship with Vampire Weekend singer Ezra Koenig since 2015. She was previously engaged to the singer Mark Ronson. Jones and Koenig have a son, Isaiah Jones Koenig, who was born on August 22, 2018.
9. James Spader and Leslie Stefanson
Robert California (played by James Spader) is the strangely charismatic former CEO of Dunder Mifflin. He is in love with Nellie Bertram, whom he allows to get away with terrible management. California is known for giving out gems of wisdom and analysing Sesame Street.
Before he joined the Office cast, Spader was famed for his weird and wonderful characters, featuring in films like Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989) and Crash (1996). In the 80s, he married a decorator named Victoria Kheel. The pair divorced in 2004, after Spader began dating his Alien Hunter co-star Leslie Stefanson. He has two sons with Kheel and one son with Stefanson, with whom he has now been in a relationship for over 20 years.
8. Catherine Tate and Jeff Gutheim
Comedy star Catherine Tate plays Nellie Bertram from seasons seven to nine of The Office. She is English and she is Sabre’s President of Special Projects, winning the job thanks to her friendship with CEO Jo Bennett. Nellie is a bad manager and she knows it, confessing to the camera crew: “I grew up poor. I have had little formal education, and no real skills. I don’t work especially hard. Most of my ideas are either unoriginal, or total cr**.”
Tate herself became engaged in 2019 to the screenwriter Jeff Gutheim. She has lived in the USA ever since she starred in The Office. Tate has one daughter, Erin, from a previous relationship with stage manager Twig Clark. In the past, Tate has said: “I’ve never really thought I’d get married. It’s not that I’m suspicious of it or anything like that, it’s just that I don’t have a reference for it because my mum wasn’t.”
7. Amy Ryan and Eric Slovin
After a string of terrible relationships, Michael finally finds true love with Holly Flax in later seasons of the show. This HR representative wins over Michael with her sweet nature and goofy sense of humour. The pair ultimately get married and have four children together. Amy Ryan, who plays Flax, has since explained that she won the role after pleading with her agent to find her a place on the show.
Sure enough, Toby actor Paul Lieberstein (who previously co-starred with Ryan on The Naked Truth) put her forward for the character, who was originally intended for only one episode. In 2011, as her Office role came to an end, Ryan married writer Eric Slovin. The couple have a daughter together, Georgia, who was born in 2009.
6. David Koechner (single)
David Koechner shines as the intensely unlikeable Todd Packer, the Outside Sales Representative. Michael likes to describe Todd as his “total BFF”, but Todd’s sexist and homophobic attitude earns him little popularity with the rest of the Dunder Mifflin crew. When he loses his job at the company, Todd laces cupcakes with emetics and hands them out to his former co-workers.
Koechner used to reside with his wife Leigh and their five children in Los Angeles, but he filed for divorce in 2020. A regular on popular TV comedy shows, he also co-starred with Will Ferell and Steve Carell in the Anchorman movies. In 2016, he tried his hand at a more serious role in Priceless, a drama about human trafficking.
5. Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre Elba
Like Amy Ryan, Idris Elba was hired to star in The Office after he rose to fame with HBO drama The Wire. He plays Charles Miner, the Vice President of Northeast Sales for Dunder Mifflin and one of Michael’s biggest rivals. A highly professional boss, he despairs at Michael’s silliness, and he sows trouble among Jim, Dwight and Michael as he struggles to hold power in the company.
Charles Miner drew plenty of admiring looks from Angela and Kelly, but in real life Idris Elba is married to the Somali-Canadian model Sabrina Dhowre. The pair tied the knot in Marrakesh in 2018 after dating for a year. The Luther star has two children from previous relationships.
4. Michael Schur and JJ Philbin
Dwight’s cousin and best friend, Mose, is played by Michael Schur. This infantile figure often becomes the handyman for Dwight’s schemes, including a crèche, a hotel and a wedding venue. Dwight mentions that Mose would make an excellent salesperson for Dunder Mifflin because he has a fear of paper (papyrophobia), which would incentivise him to sell his stock fast.
Actor Michael Schur was a producer and writer on the show. He’s now better known for creating TV shows The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks and Recreation, and Rutherford Falls (starring Ed Helms). Schur has been married to fellow screenwriter JJ Philbin since 2006. Their wedding was attended by an unusual mix of guests, from Donald Trump to Saturday Night Live stars. The pair have two children together.
3. Kathy Bates (single)
Kathy Bates stars as Jo Bennett, CEO of Sabre. This tough boss is close friends with Nancy Pelosi and she distributes copies of her own autobiography, entitled Take a Good Look, to the entire office. As a child, Bennett dreamt of becoming a featured Barbie doll someday. She features in seasons six and seven before Robert California takes over her job.
Like her fictional counterpart, Kathy Bates is also a cancer survivor. She was married to Tony Campisi from 1991 till 1997. Although the 74-year-old is private about her dating life these days, and she has no children, she has affectionately referred to Adam Sandler as her ‘son’ ever since starring as Sandler’s on-screen mother in The Waterboy.
2. Omi Vaidya and Mina Patel
Omi Vaidya was a guest star on The Office, appearing fleetingly as Sadiq, Dunder Mifflin’s IT assistant. He is the seventh IT assistant to suffer through the office’s technological woes. Vaidya has since described his experience of starring in the show: “When you shoot something, even 3 Idiots or The Office, you don’t know that it is going to be a classic. You just do it with your hundred percent.”
As well as starring in Arrested Development, Vaidya is a Bollywood star and has directed various short films. This American actor lives in Washington DC with his wife Mina Patel, who is a public health professional. The couple have two children together, born in 2015 and 2019.
1. Mark Proksch and Amelie Gilette
Nate N Nickerson is Dwight’s unfortunate handyman and later a warehouse worker. On his first assignment from Dwight, he attempts to destroy a hornets’ nest with a blowtorch and a baseball bat. Mark Proksch, who plays Nate, is also known for playing the parody yo-yo master K-Strauss, as well as the psychic vampire Colin Robinson on the TV show What We Do in the Shadows.
Like several of his Office co-stars, Mark Proksch rarely speaks about his personal life. On October 10, 2015, he married Amelie Gilette, who became a writer for The Office during Season Seven just as Proksch joined the cast. Gilette had previously worked alongside Ellie Kemper as a writer for The Onion, and she has also written for The A.V. Club, Spin and Blender.