Summary
Overview
In this live episode of Rethinking with Adam Grant, actor Rainn Wilson shares his unlikely journey from struggling theater actor to playing Dwight Schrute on The Office. The conversation explores Wilson's decade of poverty before finding success at age 38, his mental health struggles despite achieving fame, and his deep dive into spirituality and philosophy. Wilson discusses his book Soul Boom, the search for meaning beyond work, climate activism, and his documentary series exploring happiness around the world. The episode includes an improvised scene where Adam Grant attempts to motivate Dwight Schrute, offering both humor and profound insights on success, mental health, and finding purpose.
The Long Road to The Office
Rainn Wilson describes his unconventional path to stardom, spending over a decade in poverty as a struggling New York theater actor who couldn't even land an audition for Law & Order. After watching a fellow actor receive a $4,000 residual check for three days of work while Wilson collected student loan bills, he realized he needed to pivot to TV and film. His move to Los Angeles in 1999 with a quirky comedy show eventually led to Six Feet Under, which opened doors to his career-defining role as Dwight Schrute at age 38.
- Wilson spent 10-13 years in New York pursuing theater, never making it above the poverty line
- He was the only actor in New York who never even auditioned for Law & Order, demonstrating how low on the totem pole he was
- A fellow actor's $4,000 residual check from three days on a Harrison Ford movie was more than Wilson had saved from an entire theater run
- Wilson moved to LA in 1999 with a 'Slacker Vaudeville' comedy show that started opening doors
- He was 38 years old when cast as Dwight, with a peculiar baby face that made him appear younger
" I was the only actor in New York who never even auditioned for Law & Order. Every single episode of Law & Order has seven or eight people that are like loading boxes or washing glasses or mopping a floor going like, I've seen him here before, but I haven't seen him around in a while. I didn't even get rejected from that because I couldn't even get the audition. That's how low on the acting totem pole I was. "
Landing Dwight: The Perfect Audition
Wilson recounts the serendipitous timing that led to his Office audition. After being cast in another show that was suddenly canceled, he learned about The Office adaptation and became the first actor to audition on day one. He auditioned for both Dwight and Michael Scott, with his Michael audition being terrible because he was just imitating Ricky Gervais. But for Dwight, Wilson knew exactly who the character was, drawing on his Dungeons & Dragons friends from suburban Seattle who had the same quirky intensity.
- Wilson had a plane ticket to Vancouver for another show when it was suddenly canceled, freeing him to audition for The Office
- He was literally the first actor in on the very first day of auditions
- Wilson auditioned for both Dwight and Michael Scott, but his Michael audition was terrible
- He based Dwight on his Dungeons & Dragons friend Chris Cole who had Battlestar Galactica glasses, weighed 97 pounds, and drew his D&D characters as giant warriors
" When it came to Dwight, I was like, you know, I know this guy. And it was one of those cases where I was like, there's really no one else that can play this role. I know exactly who this guy is. I used to play Dungeons and Dragons with guys like this. "
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