The Officeremake star Felicity Ward comments on the backlash towards her gender-swapped manager character, Hannah Howard. Based on the hit BBC show created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the American version ofThe Officeaired on NBC from 2005 to 2013, with Steve Carell’s Michael Scott serving as the centerpiece of the show. Now, in addition to areboot ofThe Office, an Australian remake of the show has now arrived on Prime Video, following Howard as she manages a struggling branch of Flinley Craddick.
In a recent interview withTHR, Ward addresses the backlash to the Australian remake ofThe Office, and her character, in particular. Ward ultimately isn’t fazed by the vitriol, revealing that, as a female stand up comedian, she’s been dealing with situations like this for years. She also, however, reveals that she understands why some feel the need to lash out, sympathizing with what it feels like to have something that you love remade. Check out Ward’s thoughtful full comment below:
I mean, it’s like everyone’s asking me ‘Do you feel the pressure?’ And I’ve heard that 40 times in the last week. ‘Are you feeling pressure, Felicity? Are you getting the pressure? What do you think of the pressure? How’s the pressure getting to you?’ And I’m like it’s you [journalists]. No, I’m not getting it from anyone else. My family are like ‘we’re so proud of you.’
Here is an exercise: Go on YouTube or Google literally any stand-up comedian that is a woman and then read the comments. So that’s gonna happen with this. Of course, this is gonna happen. There’s some angry people out there. And so of course they’re gonna come for me because it’s a double whammy because it’s The Office and because I’m a woman and I don’t say that as a victim. It’s just like the facts. I’ve been a stand-up comedian for 16 years. I’ve had this shit before, like that just exists.
Also, I know what it is to love something and have it remade and feel furious about it. Now that sounds insane to me saying out loud, but I absolutely have felt furious about some things. Point Break is my favorite film of all time, love Point Break. Why would you touch Point Break if it’s a perfect film?
And then they remade it, and I was angry. What I didn’t do is get on the Internet and hunt down the lead actors to try to make them understand how awful they are. That’s the madness. I get the anger, but call a friend, you know what I’m saying?
With the American Office, this exact same thing happened 20 years ago. The American Office came out and people were mad. They were like, ‘you’re able to’t touch this British legacy comedy, it’s an institution.’ And it is. For the first series [of the U.S. Office] they were using British scripts and then when they started writing their own stories, it’s turned into literally the most beloved comedy of all time.
It’s a different show. It’s just not the same thing. We’ve got all original scripts, all original characters, all original story lines. We’re just having the same thing that the American Office had 20 years ago.
In addition to featuring a gender-swapped manager, the Australian version ofThe Officealso features a female version of the Dwight character with Edith Poor’s Lizzie. Other cast members include: Shari Sebbens, Steen Raskopolous, Josh Thompson, and Jonny Brugh.
What The Backlash Means For Prime Video’s Remake Of The Office
Will The Remake Take After NBC’s Version Of The Show?
NBC’sThe Officenow stands as one of the most acclaimed and beloved sitcoms of all time, and it now has a larger cultural footprint than the British version of the show ever did. The American series ran for nine seasons in total, and Carell’s character took center stage for about six-and-a-half. The show, together withThe 40-Year-Old Virgin(2005), made Carell a star, and Scott is undeniably one of his most iconic characters.The Officecast, as a whole, is a major reason why the show succeeded.
10 Most Surprisingly Heartwarming Michael Scott Moments In The Office
Michael Scott is one of the best characters on TV, and despite his many quirks, he can also be one of the sweetest and most endearing characters.
Living up to this will be a major challenge for the Australian version of the show, and it means2024’sThe Officewill likely struggle in season 1 to emerge out from under its predecessor’s shadow. It’s worth remembering, however, as Ward says, thatseason 1 of NBC’sThe Officeheavily borrowed the tone of its British predecessor, and ratings weren’t all that strong at first. It wasn’t until season 2 that the show really found its stride and its own voice and identity. It’s possible that, if renewed, the remake will follow a similar pattern.
Our Take On The Backlash To The Office Remake
Female Comedians Face Intense Scrutiny
Early reviews forThe Officeremake look somewhat mixed so far, but that doesn’t excuse the sexism and misogyny present in user comments online.The backlash to the remake speaks to the challenging nature of the comedy landscape for female comedians, and Ward’s comments suggest that things unfortunately have been relatively unchanged in this regard for the last 16 years.The Officeremake may struggle to recapture the magic of the NBC show, but hopefully, viewers will at least give the series a shot.
2024’sThe Officeis now streaming on Prime Video worldwide, except in the U.S.
The Office
Cast
Hannah Howard, managing director of a packaging company, faces the closure of her branch and the transition to remote work. As she scrambles to preserve her team, Hannah navigates workplace dynamics and challenges, striving to maintain unity amid upheaval and uncertainty. Created by Jackie van Beek and Julie De Fina.
