‘The Office’: The Real Reason Pam and Roy Never Got Married

Many fans of The Office adore Jim and Pam’s relationship. But before she was with Jim (John Krasinski), Pam was engaged to Roy Anderson (David Denman). Despite their prolonged engagement, Jenna Fischer had a good reason for why Pam never married Roy on The Office. 

Pam and Roy are perpetually engaged

When we first met Pam on The Office, she was engaged to warehouse worker Roy. They hadn’t settled on a wedding date, but it was clear they were together — and even more apparent that Pam had feelings for Jim.  

Throughout seasons 1 through 3, there was a bit of a love triangle between Jim, Pam, and Roy. By season 3, Pam officially called things off with Roy and started dating Jim. 

Jenna Fischer shared a special connection to Pam 

Since her initial audition for the role, Fischer felt connected to Pam Beesly. 

“I believed with my whole heart that this was the part for me,” Fischer told Brian Baumgartner on his podcast, An Oral History of The Office. “I thought if they don’t pick me, then they’re not doing the show I think they’re doing. I am literally the only person who should play this part. This is mine.” 

To prepare for the role, Fischer developed a backstory for Pam.

Pam and Roy go way back 

Part of Fischer’s backstory addressed why Pam chose to stay with Roy for as long as she did.

“I had written probably a three-page essay on Pam’s backstory, some of which I got from the script or [borrowed] from the British show,” Fischer explained. “I had a whole backstory for why Pam is with Roy and how they met.” 

In Fischer’s mind, Pam had known Roy since high school. 

“Pam’s parents owned an appliance store in town, and Roy worked there in high school,” she said. “That’s how they met.”

Having known each other for so long, it makes sense that Pam would have fallen into a relationship with Roy and stuck it out for so long — she was comfortable. 

Jenna Fischer reveals why Pam and Roy never marry

The backstory Fischer developed for her character went so deep, she even addressed why Pam would never actually end up marrying Roy. 

When Greg Daniels asked Fischer directly why Pam would stay with Roy for so long, Fischer had the perfect response.

“I had told him ‘Oh Greg, in my head, the reason they never got married was because Roy spent their wedding money on a pair of wave runners,'” Fischer explained. 

Fans of The Office can see Roy doing something like that and understand why Pam would never get around to actually hosting a wedding. 

Throughout The Office‘s run, Daniels would often turn to Fischer and other cast members to dig deeper into how their characters would act in certain situations.

As Baumgartner pointed out, the writers felt they couldn’t know the characters on the show better than the actors who played them. When the actors and writers would collaborate, they were able to create some of the funniest and most memorable scenes on The Office.