Summary
- Idris Elba briefly breaks character on The Office, showing a different side of his stern character Charles Miner.
- Fans initially missed this moment, but with repeated viewings, they've started to notice Elba's subtle smile.
- There is speculation that the unexpected interruption by Kelly and Kevin was ad-libbed by Mindy Kaling and Brian Baumgartner.
Eagle-eyed devotees of The Office have spotted a rare instance where Idris Elba seemingly stepped out of character, and their observations would appear to be spot on. While Elba’s stint on the NBC hit series is fondly remembered by ardent fans of the show, he is in fact best known for his portrayal of iconic characters such as Stringer Bell in The Wire, DCI John Luther in Luther, and the legendary Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
Elba joined the cast line-up of The Office in its fifth season, debuting as Charles Miner in the episode New Boss. He was quickly established as a formidable foil to Michael Scott, played by Steve Carell. This was not just a fleeting visit, either; Elba’s Miner would go on to feature in a six-episode arc, culminating in the season finale of 2009.
Charles Miner was introduced as a character who couldn’t be more different from the relaxed atmosphere at the series’ Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Yet, amidst this backdrop of stern professionalism, there lies a moment where Elba breaks away from the stern Miner, injecting an unexpected twist in a scene where he was meant to maintain his serious demeanor.
One Cast Member Of The Office Forced Idris Elba To Break Character
The pivotal episode that led Idris Elba to momentarily abandon his character’s stern facade is Broke, the 25th episode of the fifth season of The Office. This installment holds significance as it concludes both the six-episode narrative that follows Michael Scott’s venture into starting the Michael Scott Paper Company, as well as the story arc that prominently features Elba as the Vice President of Dunder Mifflin, Charles Miner.
After imposing his presence for four episodes, the office finally got to see another side of Charles when overall boss David Wallace (Andy Buckley) comes to visit in Broke. David arrives with the intention of calming the nerves of the office salesmen, after they had lost a number of big clients to Michael’s new business. Elba’s character literally leaps out of his makeshift office to welcome his boss, and ushers him towards their intended meeting room.
David wants to address the employees first, and starts by greeting them. A few seconds into his subsequent speech, he is interrupted by Mindy Kaling’s Kelly Kapoor, responding to the salutation: “Hi!” David carries on with his address, only for the juvenile character Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner) to also interject with his own “Hi!” It was this moment that forced Elba to break character and start giggling.
Many Fans Originally Missed The Moment Idris Elba Broke Character
Despite the fervent loyalty that The Office commands, with fans confessing to watching every episode multiple times, many initially failed to spot the moment Idris Elba breaks his serious persona in Broke.
One such devoted viewer confessed, “I’ve watched through the entirety of this show, every episode, 16 times now. And [I] have never noticed Charles’ face in this scene.”
Another fan went ahead to explain a possible reason why: “It’s probably because people are wired to look at whoever is talking. I have seen this show many times and I find it to be a new show whenever I try and look at someone I haven’t looked at before in each scene. It’s fun!” A third enthusiast concurred, saying: “You’ll find new things on every rewatch! And it gets funnier.”
This Is What Idris Elba Did When He Was Fired From 'The Wire'
Idris Elba had a big reaction when he learned that his character from The Wire, Stringer Bell, was going to meet a violent end.
One, much more philosophical fan had a much more layered opinion. “IMO it’s also probably suspension of disbelief… Like you’re not conscious about the acting so you just assume Charles smiles to humor Kevin (much like how David greets him back) and don’t pay any mind to it.”
Was The Scene That Got Idris Elba To Break Character Scripted?
One unique fan theory that emerged regarding the hilarious scene that caused Idris Elba to break character was that Kelly and Kevin’s reactions were not scripted in the first place. This argument is lent some credence by the knowledge that Mindy Kaling, who played the not-so-smart customer service attendant Kelly Kapoor, was also a core part of the writing team.
In total, Kaling is officially credited with writing 26 episodes of The Office. While the particular episode in question was penned by Charlie Grandy, one comment on a YouTube video of the scene involving Kelly, Kevin, David and Charles suggested that the actress was in fact behind the gag.
“This is my theory, since Kelly is a writer, she strategically decided to ad lib her ‘hi’ so it would be an authentic disruption,” the fan wrote. “Then, Kevin being a genius also, dropped a ‘hi,’ which both [David and Charles] had to not laugh at, and David just played it off nicer and it was a great first take.”
It was in fact a testament to Elba’s skill and professionalism that his character’s fleeting smile was seamlessly integrated, and it’s only in reruns that fans have started to pick it up.
