Rashida Jones‘ time on The Office was short-lived, and the actress reflects on why her character didn’t last long.
In the latest episode of Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang, Jones recalled her brief stint on the NBC sitcom and why she thinks she was ultimately cut.
“I had done a year on The Office and they let me go, which made sense. It made sense,” Jones said.
Jones played Karen Filippelli, who was introduced in Season 3. The character was an employee at Dunder Mifflin’s Stamford branch and became a love interest to John Krasinski’s Jim and a rival to Jenna Fischer’s Pam.
Poehler noted of the situation Jones came into, saying, “You had such a tough job there, because everybody wanted Jim and Pam, and then guess who shows up? A very likable, cool… and everyone was like, ‘Oh no, wait.”
Jones added, “It did not feel that way. People did not like me. Like, fans were not about it.”
Reflecting on why the character was created, Jones says she understands Karen Filippelli was introduced to “create tension” in Jim and Pam’s relationship.
“So I was the third point in the triangle. It’s fine. I accept it,” she added.
Jones would go on and reprise her Karen role in two episodes of Season 4 and one episode in Season 5. She would make a last appearance in an episode from Season 7.
Following her brief stint on The Office, Jones went on to star opposite Poehler in Parks and Recreation.
