Melora Hardin talks about chemistry on the set of The Office
In a fairly recent interview with the Boston Herald, Melora Hardin, who plays Jan on The Office, opened up about her role and the onset chemistry she feels with co-star Steve Carell.
“She’s a very complicated, multilayered, conflicted and flawed woman who’s been fighting really hard in a man’s world for a really long time,� she said. “She’s gotten a really crusty, cold, hard exterior. But she has a soft, gooey center, and Michael sees that and he goes right into that and she responds to that.�
“I think we could feel right away there was something special between Michael and Jan,� Hardin said. “Literally in the pilot, we knew because I sat down at lunch with Greg Daniels and Steve, and both Steve and I said, ‘Jan and Michael have to hook up.’ Because there was tension and friction. It was complex, and there was just a spark between them onscreen and we could feel it.�
Hardin has been acting for quite sometime, since the age of 6 in fact, and has had her share of pilots that didn’t go anywhere. She comments on how she knew that The Office would be a good show.
I could tell it was a really inspired show with a lot of really creative people. (Executive producer) Greg Daniels has a special gift for surrounding himself with people who he believes are as good at what they do as he is at what he does. He really makes room for everyone to perform to their highest degree and elevates everyone. I knew that was special. You don’t find that very often, especially in television.�
Well, we’re glad the Melora Hardin and Jan are now regulars on The Office. It was a big question early on as to whether we would see much of Jan, but like mentioned before, the chemistry was too strong to deny.
-Anna
Office, NBC, Melora, Hardin, Steve, Carell
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