Two of The Office’s Biggest Stars Convinced Domhnall Gleeson to Join Spinoff

Actor Domhnall Gleeson was hesitant to take the lead role in The Office spinoff, The Paper, but the stars of the original series persuaded him to give it a chance. Gleeson spoke about the decision last week in an interview with PEOPLE, revealing that John Krasinski and Steve Carell both talked to him before he took the job, convincing him that it was worth it simply to work with series creator Greg Daniels. Gleeson has worked with Carell on The Patient, and he was in New York City last week for the premiere of his movie The Fountain of Youth. He said that he was grateful to Krasinski and Carell for the advice.

“[Krasinski] was wonderful. I mean, his big advice to me was to do it,” Gleeson said simply. “And the same with Steve Carell, another just wonderful actor who I’d worked with before. And their advice was, if it’s Greg Daniels, you should do it because getting to work with him is a treat that not many people get to have. And I’m so happy I did it because I think we have something really lovely. So I’m thrilled with it.”

Gleeson added that he wasn’t particularly reluctant to take this job in the first place, saying, “I mean, I like to think I would’ve got there on my own anyway, but certainly if [John] and Steve had been like, ‘Don’t do it, it’s a nightmare,’ I would’ve hightailed it, but they could not have been more positive about it, and I’m delighted I listened to them.” The reputation of The Office helped get this show off the ground, though up until recently, its premise and connection to the original series was not clear.

[RELATED: The Office Spinoff Gets First Look and Official Title (And Reveals a Returning Star)]

We now know that The Paper is about a local newspaper in Toledo, Ohio called The Truth Teller, and the people who work there. The paper is struggling to stay afloat, and it begins employing volunteer reporters to remain in business. Gleeson previously explained that his character “has the unwavering optimistic belief that he can turn The Truth Teller to the glory of its heyday.”

The show has an ensemble cast much like The Office, though many reports and announcements emphasize Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore as the leads. Its main connection to the The Office is Oscar Nuñez, reprising his role as Oscar Martinez. His connection to the paper is unclear, but we know he has moved to Toledo.

The Paper premieres in September on Peacock, but there’s no specific release date so far. The Office is streaming there now.