Who is Phyllis in The Office?​

The Office is one of the most beloved sitcoms that aired from 2005 to 2013. It ran for 9 successful seasons. The show has a diverse cast, including Steve Carell, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, etc. It follows the daily lives of employees at Dunder Mifflin, a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The show highlights office culture, including workplace rivalry, office romance, and personal growth.

Phyllis Vance is one of the characters of the show. She is portrayed as a person who is soft-spoken, friendly, witty, and sometimes petty. She often surprised audiences with her unexpected humor and sass. She is known for her savage one-liners. Let’s take a look at Phyllis’ character and the actress who plays her.

Who is Phyllis in The Office?​

Phyllis was introduced in the 1st episode of the show as the salesperson at the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin. She often performs better than her outspoken co-workers. She is also known for her love of office gossip and can stand up for herself when needed. She has a complicated relationship with Michael Scott, the branch manager. They have known each other since high school, where Michael often bullied her.

Phyllis also had a competitive side which was often seen in her interactions with Angela and Michael Scott. Despite her past with Michael, she doesn’t shy away from challenging Michael, especially when he crosses the line. Phyllis often taunts Angela, as they compete to lead the Party Planning Committee. Apart from Angela, she also tried to compete with Pam Beesly and copied every detail of Pam and Roy’s wedding for her own.

In Season 3, Phyllis got married to Bob Vance, the owner of Vance Refrigeration. His company is in the same office building as Dunder Mifflin. They had a stable relationship, and Bob was protective of her. Their public displays of affection often made their coworkers uncomfortable. She was happy in her relationship and often bragged about Bob’s business success.

Who plays Phyllis in The Office?

Phyllis Smith plays Phyllis in the show. She is an American actress, born on August 15, 1949, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Before acting, she worked as a casting associate, helping to find actors for different projects. She got her breakthrough role as Phyllis Vance, a saleswoman at Dunder Mifflin, in The Office from 2005 to 2013. Originally, she was working in casting for the show, but the producers decided to give her a role based on her personality.

For The Office, she has won 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards along with the cast of the show. Apart from The Office, she has worked in many TV shows like Trophy Wife (2013), The OA (2016-2019), Dream Productions (2024), etc. In 2015, she received critical acclaim for her work in the hit film Inside Out in 2015. She voiced the role of Sadness in the film, for which she won an Annie Award for her performance.

Apart from Inside Out, she has worked in many films like Bad Teacher (2011), Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011), Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021), Inside Out 2 (2024), etc.