When John Krasinski needed to cut his hair for another role, he developed an elaborate wig scheme to keep his job as Jim in The Office.

John Krasinski reveals the reason why his iconic hair for The Office was briefly a wig. Krasinski starred as Jim Halpert in The Office during its run from 2005-2013. Jim was one of the most beloved characters in the series, known for his wit and trickster ways, and perhaps most notably to many fans, his iconic relationship with coworker Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer). The Office also starred Steve Carrell, Rainn Wilson, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Angela Kinsey, and Phyllis Smith.

Now, Krasinski is a major Hollywood star that is known both for his acting and for directing A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II. Beyond his role in A Quiet Place, he has believably embodied action stars such as Jack Ryan in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. But before these roles, Krasinski was most prominently the face of Jim. Jim’s goofy personality was matched by his equally goofy hair, which was a fluffy and scruffy light brown. Krasinski remained floppily-quaffed for the duration of The Office’s run. In season 3, however, Krasinski had to wear a wig to capture Jim’s iconic haircut.

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Now, Krasinski reveals the reason why he wore a wig during season 3 of The Office. According to a recent Mashable interview with The Office hair and makeup stylist Kim Ferry, Krasinski needed to cut his hair in order to make the football movie Leatherheads. Office showrunner Greg Daniels was not on board with this and denied Krasinski’s request to cut his hair. But instead of turning down the role as many actors might in Krasinski's shoes, the actor created a plan: he would cut his hair, and, with the help of Ferry, wear a wig unbeknownst to Daniels. Krasinski allegedly bought the wig himself, and Ferry helped him attach it. Ferry describes the process of obtaining and securing the wig:

"He paid for the wig — a human hair wig made by a friend of mine, Natascha Ladek, who's the best wig maker in town. She came in to do a secret little fitting for him, she made the wig, we got it, and it looked amazing. [Krasinski] came in a little later that day, and I had the wig hidden in a little secret spot ready for him. When it was just him and I, I put it on him, and then he went out and filmed."

Krasinski’s scheming off-screen almost seems like something Jim would do. It was a clever trick and it paid off because Jim’s season 3 look blended in seamlessly with his overall aesthetic for The Office. It seems like Ferry, who has worked on other notable shows like Pretty Little Liars, had the right talented connections to make Krasinski’s stunt go smoothly. This was not without risk to Ferry, of course, who also stated in the interview that she partially felt as if she were putting her job on the line.

Despite the risks they took, both Ferry and Krasinski kept their jobs for the remainder of The Office and have continued to have successful careers. The Office continues to be one of the most-rewatched shows today, even nearly a decade after its release. In the age of the internet, The Office is given life by the memes and mashups that it has inspired. Through all this, Jim remains instantly recognizable by Krasinski’s hairdo, even if part of that was replicated by a wig.

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Hannah Gearan is a news writer for Screen Rant. She joined the platform in Spring 2022, whilst completing her final year as an undergrad at Wesleyan University, where she studied Film, Environmental Studies, and Writing. A lifelong film fan, Hannah has a wide-ranging taste including dark comedies and documentaries, and she loves a good miniseries. Based out of the Northeastern United States, Hannah spends her free time writing, listening to folk music, visiting covered bridges, and trying to find the best ice cream in New England.