The reason why John Krasinski wore a wig in season 3 of ‘The Office’
John Krasinski has proven himself as an actor and filmmaker by working on multiple famous projects such as A Quiet Place, but The Office will always be his most beloved work. Even though the show aired its finale years ago, dedicated fans still tune in every day because they love the eccentric characters as well as the show’s treatment of modern absurdity.
While some fans still maintain that the UK version of The Office is superior, the US counterpart has definitely become the more popular of the two. Revolving around a Pennsylvania branch of a paper company, the show managed to establish a strong global audience by critiquing the monotony of the corporate lifestyle.
Krasinski delivered one of the most iconic performances of his career as Jim Halpert, a sarcastic trickster who serves as the bridge between The Office’s uncanny world and our reality. While clips of Krasinski as Jim routinely become viral on social media, it is a lesser-known fact that he actually wore a wig during the show’s third season.
According to the reports that have surfaced, Krasinski was required to cut his hair short for the 2008 sports comedy Leatherheads, but showrunner Greg Daniels did not think it would suit Jim Halpert. That’s why Krasinski embarked on a top-secret project by actually donning a wig during the filming of season 3.
Hairstylist Kim Ferry revealed: “He paid for the wig — a human hair wig made by a friend of mine, Natascha Ladek, who’s the best wig maker in town. She came in to do a secret little fitting for him, she made the wig, we got it, and it looked amazing. [Krasinski] came in a little later that day, and I had the wig hidden in a little secret spot ready for him. When it was just him and I, I put it on him, and then he went out and filmed.”
Although Krasinski started wearing the wig without letting anyone know, nobody could tell the difference. Ferry added: “The first thing Greg said was, ‘Wow. You guys have balls,’ and then goes, ‘but I have to say I didn’t see that coming.’ Greg kept saying, ‘No! I would know if you’re wearing a wig.’ So John leaned over the desk and said, ‘No I don’t think you would.’ That’s when he ripped it off and shut it down, and we got to do the wig.”
Initially, Ferry was afraid that she was going to lose her job, but it all worked out in the end, and Krasinski got to star in Leatherheads. While reflecting on the incident, Ferry added: “It was worth it cause he really wanted to do that movie, and I didn’t want to disappoint him. It was nerve-wracking, but it turned out OK. Thank god.”
