What Happened To The Warehouse Employees From The Office?
In the years since its 2013 finale, The Office has emerged as one of the most beloved TV shows of the last few decades. Millions of fans have spent countless hours unwinding within Dunder Mifflin's bizarre, endearing, and hilarious embrace — and they don't show any sign of stopping.
T-shirts emblazoned with "Schrute Farms" still fly off the shelves. Respected publications like The Atlantic ponder Dwight Schrute as a harbinger of cultural anxiety a full seven years after the show ended. Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, who starred as Pam Beesly and Angela Martin respectively, launched their Office commentary podcast, Office Ladies, in 2020. They promptly took home an iHeartRadio Podcast Award for Podcast of the Year. It's still Michael Scott's world, as it turns out — we're just living in it.
But while we all love Jim, Pam, Dwight, and the rest of the upstairs gang, Dunder Mifflin's unforgettable Scranton branch doesn't belong solely to them. As any diehard fan knows, the warehouse is just as important a part of the operation — and just as hysterical. From Hide's story of surgery and subterfuge to the infamous basketball game Michael organizes between his beleaguered upstairs employees and the warehouse crew, the denizens of the warehouse are a key part of what makes The Office tick. We're here to catch you up on everything they've been up to since The Office closed up shop.
Ameenah Kaplan is way more than just one of The Office's warehouse employees
In a cast full of insecure, frustrated, and outright odd characters, Val stands out. Despite her coworkers' awkward attempts to flirt with her, Darryl's capricious interest in her, and the demands of her strenuous job, she maintains an air of self-possession from her first episode until the show's finale. One gets the sense that no matter where she goes, what she does, or what absurdities she encounters, Val always keeps her head on straight.
Val's poise makes a lot more sense when you learn more about her actress, Ameenah Kaplan. Kaplan is an absolute dynamo of talent. She's a celebrated drummer, director, actress, and dancer. Kaplan is currently the West Coast drum coach for the Blue Man Group (a position she'd held for almost 20 years) and the resident director of the North American tour of the smash-hit Broadway show The Lion King. Though handling both of these duties might seem impossible, it's old hat for Kaplan. This is, after all, a woman who's drummed for Rihanna and Rod Stewart, directed productions of The Wiz, and found time to get into rock climbing. Oh, and did we mention that she's currently part of not one but two bands? And that she played Gamora's mom in Avengers: Infinity War? Forget foreman — with this kind of brilliance fueling Val, Dunder Mifflin should've just made her CEO.
David Denman has kept busy since playing Roy
Roy has one of The Office's most unique character arcs. He's an obstacle, at first, to Pam and Jim's relationship. He crosses over into sad-sack territory when Pam dumps him, culminating in a DUI and an attempt to attack Jim. After being blasted with Dwight's pepper spray, he slinks off into the night ... only to reemerge in season nine. Roy ends the show as the owner of a successful gravel company who's married the woman of his dreams.
Roy's actor, David Denman, shares more than a few things in common with the sophisticated, self-improving Roy we bid farewell to. For one thing, he's gone on to tackle a fascinating number of roles in the years since The Office ended. Denman has had guest spots on shows as varied as Mad Men, How to Get Away with Murder, and True Detective. He hasn't confined himself to the small screen, either. Denman starred as Kyle Breyer in Brightburn, a dark spin on Superman, and played Moody Chapman in Logan Lucky. He also inspired much online amusement when he starred in 13 Hours, as it reunited him with John Krasinski.
Beyond acting, Denman and Roy both have a desire to explore interesting hobbies. Denman has become a committed triathlete. As far as personal milestones go, we don't know if he serenaded his wife, Mercedes Mason, at their wedding, as Roy does in his. But we do know they welcomed their first child, Caius Kane, in 2018.
Mark Proksch is the king of awkward comedy
Even on a show full of oddballs, Nate Nickerson stands out. A late-series addition to the warehouse, he's the kind of guy who prints his resume on the back of chili recipes. Sometimes, he's Dwight's hapless henchman. Sometimes, he's just a guy offering his opinions on modern gum, which he maintains has gotten "too minty." Through it all, however, one truth emerges. Whatever the situation, Nate will find a way to make it weird.
As it turns out, that's pretty much his actor's specialty. Mark Proksch is an auteur of awkwardness. Since The Office ended, he's popped up on all sorts of big and small screen productions. A four-episode stint on Better Call Saul as Daniel "Pryce" Wormald is one of his most high-profile roles, though What We Do in the Shadows, where he stars as Colin Robinson, a lethally dull energy vampire, might just overtake it.
Proksch's true home, however, is the beautifully bizarre field of Adult Swim. Dream Corp LLC, a surreal comedy set in a disreputable dream therapy clinic, stars Proksch as a technician. On Cinema, which went from podcast to web show to Adult Swim series, features Proksch playing a pitiful, thinly fictionalized version of himself. But wait, it gets weirder. Decker, a spinoff series, features Proksch as Abdul Sharif, a villain role that the fictional Proksch struggles to pull off. Nate might be strange, but his actor is infinitely (and delightfully) stranger still.
Patrice O'Neal lives on through his work
While many of Dunder Mifflin's warehouse workers absorb Michael's foolishness quietly, Lonny Collins does not. When Michael attempts to call a basketball game early to claim the win for the upstairs workers, Lonny objects. When talk of forming a union starts stirring, Lonny is eager to take part. When Michael makes jokes through Darryl's presentation on workplace safety (which Darryl does on crutches, due to Michael's idiocy), Lonny snaps at him to pay attention. Lonny gives voice to the frustrations that few of his colleagues have it in them to speak aloud anymore. They might seethe quietly, but he won't, and you just can't help but love him for it.
His actor, Patrice O'Neal, was a similarly beloved voice in the world of comedy. His innovative approach to stand-up netted him guest spots on shows including Arrested Development and Chappelle's Show, a long-running relationship with the Opie and Anthony radio show, and his 2011 special, Elephant in the Room. Sadly, O'Neal died in November 2011 from complications of a stroke. The outpouring of grief that followed pays testament to his talent. Comic luminaries including Jon Stewart, Bill Burr, Ricky Gervais, and Marc Maron paid O'Neal tribute in the wake of his death. His first comedy album, Mr. P, was released posthumously, and an annual memorial benefit show was established. Though he might be gone, O'Neal's confrontational, improvisational, and unforgettable comedy lives on.
Karly Rothenberg has found a home on Netflix
Is Madge Madsen The Office's unsung hero? She handles being mistaken for a man like it isn't the first, third, or 20th time it's happened, which it likely isn't. Getting called "Pudge" rolls off her back. She does get to split some major money when she and the other warehouse workers win the lottery (playing Darryl's birthday), but that seems like a lacking reward for being called the "East German gal" for years. Let's hope Madge retires somewhere sunny, where no one ever confuses her with Michael Scott, screws up an order, or throws tantrums during company basketball games.
Madge's steel spine comes straight from her actress, Karly Rothenberg. Rothenberg is the sort of actress you've likely seen a number of things. Since The Office ended, she's made appearances on Criminal Minds, Atypical, Grey's Anatomy, Bones, and a number of other TV standbys. Her biggest role, however, came in another comedy. She played Erin Shapiro, a beloved teacher, on the Netflix true crime spoof, American Vandal. Apparently, Netflix suits Rothenberg just fine, as she's appeared on two more of the steaming service's original properties since. Funnily enough, both productions are animated series aimed at children. She plays Cappuccino on Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts and Dixie, Snail, and Crostini on Archibald's Next Big Thing. When Rothenberg isn't acting, she's teaching the craft as a member of the faculty at AMDA College of the Performing Arts in Los Angeles.
Brad William Henke played the meanest warehouse employee on The Office
Frank's sole appearance is in season nine's "Vandalism." This episode hinges upon Pam's warehouse mural, which someone has defaced with enormous spray-painted posteriors. Turns out, the villain is Frank. When he catches Pam getting revenge by vandalizing his truck with (washable) paint, he lunges at her — only to be stopped by Brian, a member of the documentary crew. That's right, Frank's one and only episode is also the one in which, jaw-droppingly, The Office acknowledged its in-universe status as a documentary.
Frank's actor, Brad William Henke, did a spectacular job making Frank truly loathsome. It's no surprise, then, that one of his most major roles following The Office was Desi Piscatella, one of Orange is the New Black's most terrifying corrections officers. Alongside his castmates, Henke helped earn Orange is the New Black the 2017 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
Since then, he's racked up a number of intriguing parts, including Brendon on the drama series Sneaky Pete and Big John on the true crime-centric Manhunt: Deadly Games. Henke snagged a major part in 2020 when he starred on CBS' 2020 miniseries The Stand, adapted from the beloved Stephen King novel. Henke plays Tom Cullen, a disabled man making his way across the plague-ridden landscape. When he's not dazzling TV fans, Henke likes to kick back with his beloved cat and dogs.
Hidetoshi Imura is without a doubt the best
You probably remember Hide best from his unforgettable monologue in season six's "Happy Hour." At Darryl's prompting, Hide reveals his life story. He was once a top heart surgeon in Japan, forced to flee the country after making a fatal mistake while operating on a yakuza boss. He hid in a fishing boat, washed up in the US, and was given a job by Darryl, for which he's devoutly grateful. Only at the end of his story does he reveal the shocking truth: He killed the yakuza boss on purpose. He is, after all, "the best."
Hide's actor, Hidetoshi Imura, has gone on to have a number of roles in unique properties. Notably, he starred in The Watchmaker, a 2020 mockumentary short in which he played the titular artisan, and Bear Tours, a webseries where he stars as a well-meaning Japanese man fumbling his way through working at an American travel agency. Unfortunately, Imura suffered a major heart attack in September 2020, which put him in the ICU. Upon learning of this crisis (and the disastrous impact it stood to have on Imura's finances) Office fans flocked to a crowdfunding campaign maintained by his family, which netted nearly $40,000. Happily, Imura's recovery has gone well. Turns out, he's just as good at recuperation as he is at covertly taking out crime bosses.
Sam Daly caught Oscar's eye as Matt
Ah, Matt. Has any character more completely embodied wishful thinking? When he debuts in "Secret Santa," the audience learns two things: He's a new warehouse worker, and he's gay. Pam is extremely eager to match-make him and Oscar, which Oscar scoffs at. But Oscar isn't immune to a bit of romantic idealism, either. "Happy Hour" sees him waking up early and feigning an interest in basketball to impress Matt, who Darryl, not unkindly, calls "a dummy." Oscar admits this is true, and he agrees that he and Matt have "nothing in common" ... but still runs off to play an arcade game the minute Matt calls.
Who brought such irresistible charisma to this role? None other than Sam Daly. Daly has kept busy since his time charming coworkers into irrational interest came to an end. Most prominently, he played Win Barrington on Madam Secretary, Harcourt Caan on The Magicians, and Ron Davis on Hunters. Consider, for a moment, the range in genre that list represents. Daly has appeared on political dramas, dark fantasy sagas, and 1970s Nazi revenge shows. Daly branched out even further by starring as Eddie Follis on The Undercovers, a podcast chronicling real-life spy stories. It hasn't been all work and no play for Daly, though. He married Marissa Bataille in 2015, and they have since welcomed two children into the world.
Calvin Tenner reunited with one of his Office pals
Glenn is a low-key member of the warehouse. You're most likely to remember him for his part in the big lottery win in season eight. He — along with all the other lucky members of the warehouse pool — runs through the building on the day the good news hits, delirious with ideas as to what to do with his share of the winnings. He and Hide attempt to launch an energy drink aimed at gay Asian men with their windfall, which unfortunately doesn't go well. After a minor amount of gloating (and a regrettable sip of the drink in question), Darryl, ever the softy, hires both of them back.
Glenn was played by Calvin Tenner, who, as it turns out, is still working alongside Hide's actor, Hidetoshi Imura. Tenner has appeared on four episodes of Bear Tours, a web series on which Imura stars as a hapless travel agent. Beyond this little Office reunion, Tenner has largely stuck to the small screen, with his most prominent role being that of Buntry on the 2018 USA series Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. One of his most major roles, however, wasn't actually part of a series or movie at all. Tenner played a harried father in a lovably bizarre 2018 Geico commercial. Beyond acting, Tenner has also worked as a stuntman on shows including Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Ghosted.
Barak Hardley is a pretty amazing artist
Gideon's time in the warehouse is brief but notable. He debuts in season eight's "Lotto," in which he's hired to replace the warehouse crew who won the lottery. Andy's eyebrows raise as he reads Gideon's resume, which reveals he's a "PhD candidate studying America's diminishing blue collar workforce," though Gideon immediately protests that "'diminishing' is a little reductive." His teaching responsibilities will only allow him to work in the warehouse on Monday and Tuesday, but Andy is desperate, and so he's hired.
That Gideon, a character with only one real scene in the entire series, makes an impression is due to the skill of his actor, Barak Hardley. Hardley's post-Office career spans the comedy landscape. He's had small roles on beloved series like Community and Master of None, put in some time with online operations like CollegeHumor and Screen Junkies, and launched his own webseries, "Let's Read a Story!" in which he examine the darker details of beloved tales. Plus, 2018 saw Hardley write and star in Spell, an artful indie thriller in which he plays a troubled illustrator stranded in Iceland without his medication.
Beyond the big and small screens, Hardley is a spectacular artist. He sculpts miniature mountains atop old cameras, pays tribute to the mundane beauty of the ground in his "manhole minis," and builds whimsical "cloud factories" that look straight out of a Studio Ghibli film. Oh, and sometimes he's seized with the desire to draw "old Paul Rudd."
Craig Robinson has found success since leaving The Office's warehouse
It's impossible not to root for Darryl Philbin. He's the guy whose job it is to literally clean up after Michael Scott. As the series goes on, we explore Darryl on a deeper level, from his relationship with his daughter to his musical skills. When he lands a job at Athlead, it's one of the greatest triumphs in the series. Really, everyone's desire to enjoy one final dance with Darryl is one of the most relatable moments of the series. Wouldn't we all like to celebrate his success with a goodbye boogie?
Only Craig Robinson could've made Darryl into the unforgettable character he is, and the world has certainly taken notice. Since The Office ended, the actor-comedian-musician has been busier than ever. As far as TV goes, Robinson has kept on making fans laugh as Brooklyn Nine-Nine's infamous Pontiac Bandit, as a panelist on The Masked Singer, and as the host of The Masked Dancer. The silver screen has been good to Robinson, as well. His longtime collaboration with Seth Rogen, rooted in films like Knocked Up and Pineapple Express, has continued to bear fruit in This Is the End and Sausage Party.
Notably, Robinson has found major success taking on dramatic roles since his time as Darryl ended. The year 2016 saw him star as Curtis, a grieving father, in the coming-of-age dramedy Morris from America. It received rave reviews, and Robinson took home a Special Jury Prize from the Sundance Film Festival for his performance.