‘The Office’ Star Jenna Fischer Was Told She Wasn’t a Real Actor If She Didn’t Strip Naked for Films
Jenna Fischer of The Office fame once recalled an incident with a screenwriter that left a bad taste in her mouth. In the early stages of her career, Fischer was asked to appear nude for a project. When she declined, Fischer’s passion for acting was called into question.
Jenna Fischer once explained why she didn’t mind wearing revealing clothes in films
Fischer once revealed she didn’t have a problem wearing revealing attire when it came to filming. The 2008 film Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story saw the actor sporting lingerie in the fictional biopic helmed by Knocked Up director Judd Apatow. But Fischer didn’t mind the physical transparency because of how the film crew made her look on camera.
“In your house you don’t have a team of people lighting you perfectly. They can light your cellulite so you see it or don’t see it; it’s the most amazing thing. They can put makeup on your legs, you try on hundreds of outfits until you find the one that looks the most perfect on you,” Fischer once told Tarts (Via Fox News). “It really has nothing to do with whether you’re in shape or not. They can do pretty amazing things with any body type.”
Jenna Fischer was told she wasn’t a real actor if she wouldn’t strip naked for films
Fischer had an upsetting encounter working with a playwright during her earlier years in the business. The actor hadn’t been in LA too long, and managed to get a role performing in a stage play. After the play, Fischer would run into the playwright. The playwright was interested in including Fischer in a movie he was writing, which Fischer was more than excited about. But things soon took a turn for the worse during their conversation.
“He said, ‘I’m writing a film, and I think you’d be great for it. But I have a question for you – would you ever do a raunchy sex scene in a movie? Like really raunchy, with nudity?’ I kind of laughed and said, ‘Well, I wouldn’t do anything I wouldn’t be proud to show my parents,’” she recalled to Playboy (via Contact Music).
The answer caused the playwright to question Fischer’s passion as an actor.
“And he said, ‘Well, you’re not a real actress, then.’ I was stunned. He said, ‘A real actress would say yes. A real actress would p**s herself onstage if that’s what it took. Sylvester Stallone did porn. Shelley Winters p**sed herself onstage. Every play, every movie I write has nudity in it. You know why? Because that’s how I know if I’m working with real actors. You’re not a real actress. You should just go home,’” Fischer remembered.
The Hall Pass star went from being excited to being upset in the span of this discussion.
“I went home and cried and cried and cried. What an a**hole, I should have told him, ‘How about I p**s on your face? Does that make me a real actress? Let’s try that. I’ll do that right here. I’ll do that today,’” she added.
Jenna Fischer was once told she wasn’t ‘hot enough’ for the television series ‘Alias’
While still an aspiring actor, Fischer juggled working odd jobs while auditioning for several opportunities. One of those opportunities came in the form of the hit 2001 ABC series Alias. Fischer would audition for the lead character Sydney Bristow, a character that later went to Jennifer Garner. In a 2006 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Fischer explained that she lost the role because of her perceived sex appeal.
“’Amazing, emotional performance. Great acting, but just not hot enough,’” Fischer recalled being told.
But she also conceded that she might not have been the best choice for the role due to other reasons.
“It wouldn’t have been the right fit. I’m not ambitious enough to get up at four in the morning and kickbox,” she said.
