‘The Office’ Cast Reflects On Steve Carell’s Surprise Appearance In The Series Finale: It “Was A Big Reveal For Us, Too”

Steve Carell‘s special appearance in the series finale of The Office may have come as a surprise for fans, but the cast claims that many of them were also kept unaware of his comeback.

While promoting his new movie IF, John Krasinski recently stopped by the Office Ladies, the Office rewatch podcast hosted by his former co-stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. They began reflecting on the series finale, which aired on NBC in 2013.

According to Krasinski, series creator and writer Greg Daniels had been contemplating bringing Carell back ahead of the finale.

“[Daniels] had thrown it out to Steve in the beginning. Am I remembering this right? And then as we got closer to the end, it was like, so is Steve gonna [do it?] And I remember he was shooting something,” Krasinski recalled. ��It wasn’t like he didn’t want to do it. It was just like scheduling and all that.”

Carell did end up reprising his role as Michael Scott one last time for the finale. The actor had exited the series in 2011. During a later appearance on the Office Ladies podcast, Carell said he felt like “was time for other characters to step to the forefront and other storylines to be pursued” at the time, per NBC.

Regarding the series finale, Krasinski said, “The whole Steve reveal was kind of a big reveal for us, too. Like his appearance was huge.”

Fischer claims some of the actors were in the know – but they were sworn to secrecy.

She said, “He told us very close to when it was gonna happen. He, I think he got you, me and Rainn [Wilson] aside, John, and he told us a couple days before, but then we — he swore us to secrecy.” She admitted that she “was so scared” to keep it a secret.

Kinsey added that Wilson apparently pulled Fischer aside after and said, “‘Jenna, you cannot tell Angela!’”

Fans of The Office will be able to catch Krasinski and Carell working together again in his new feature, IF, which focuses on a young girl who discovers she can see everyone’s imaginary friends. The family friendly comedy stars Krasinski, Carell, Ryan Reynolds, and Emily Blunt.

Krasinski said he wrote the character with Carell in mind.

“And then it would immediately bring me back to the set of The Office,” he said. “And I would remember deliveries of not only his lines in the show, but lines off camera, like bits that he would do. And I was like, oh my God, he’s gonna be great.”

The Office is streaming now on Peacock.