The Dunder Mifflin family grows by one this Thursday night with the arrival of Pam and Jim's baby.  In the lead up to the big day, The Office's Angela Kinsey (who plays Angela Martin) and Ellie Kemper (Erin Hannon) chatted about the new baby, Angela's future with Dwight, and wetting your pants on set.



On the wedding episode

ELLIE: I thought what a perfect way the writers put the whole thing together in this monumental event, you know, it's this landmark thing that's happening.
ANGELA: So here we all are at this big moment in our show. And there was this real energy in the room of happiness and celebration. And I'm trying to [stay in character and] not be enthused. And at the same time I'm tearing up because I'm so excited to see John and Jenna have this moment on our show as Jim and Pam.  And then when everyone clapped at the end [my character] was like 'hmm, yes, okay fine. Now they're legitimate in the eyes of the Lord, okay great'.

On Pam's baby

ANGELA: What would I dress Pam's baby up as?  Maybe like a Mother Theresa, like give her like a little habit.  Come Christmas time I could try to make a live Nativity scene.
ANGELA:  I loved this baby episode. I actually went to the writers and tried to pitch them some breastfeeding jokes because I came back to work when my child was eight weeks old and I - not to over share - but I had to pump.

On joining the show

ELLIE: I always think [about what was happening] a year ago.  It's strange to have watched a show on your futon for five years and then to be on it.  It's completely surreal. Every now and then I have a moment where it's just 'oh wait a second these are the people on the television show that I love.'  It's really lucky for me.  I just feel really fortunate that they wove me into the fabric.

On their characters becoming friends

ANGELA:  Angela Martin wants a friend but she's so prickly that it takes such a tall order to be her friend. She's not a robot, you know, she misses Dwight, she misses her friends, and I'm sure her ladies group at church is catty.  It's always nice to have an ally at work, and she doesn't have that. So I think she sort of jumped at the chance, and plus she loves accounting.  I think she jumped at the chance to maybe mentor someone who's interested in something she loves to do.
ELLIE: I think that Erin is so desperate to be accepted in the office and also so eager for a friend and a mentor, someone to show her the way.   At first it seemed to be Kelly, the cool girl who buys her clothes at the mall and not really befriends Erin but sort of make her her subordinate.  So then when she like finds another mentor/friend [she thinks] 'Oh, oh Angela is willing to take me under her wing; this is amazing.

On their characters romantic prospects

ELLIE: I think for Andy and Erin the groundwork has been laid. I'm not sure what lies ahead, if there is going to be a period of bliss like a honeymoon period or if it's going to fall apart again.
ANGELA: I love the Andy and Erin. There's such a sweet innocence about them. We just had a table read and I can't get in too much of it but it was really fun. You see a whole other side of Ellie's character. As far as Dwight and Angela, I think Rainn and I have always thought that Dwight and Angela are geeky, militant soul mates. And we hope that someday they find their way back to one another.

On how similar they are to their characters

ANGELA: I can tell you from being on set and going and having margaritas with Ellie and just hanging out on a daily basis that this very genuine sincerity that is Ellie definitely comes through her character. It's a really wonderful thing you bring to Erin.
ELLIE: That's so nice. And Ann, I have to say is equally in the opposite way.  Angela Martin doesn't smile that much and then when I walked on set and I actually met Angela in person she is such a warm person, you do not know. So it was the opposite...
ANGELA: I'm just a spaz, that's the hardest thing for me about being Angela Martin is to turn off the spaz.

On cracking up on set

ELLIE: I think it's one of the most terrible feeling to have to hold in laughter. But you really can't - you have to hold it in because you have to get the scene done. 
ANGELA: I have to bite the inside of my lip often. Or you know what I've started doing with Steve is I will look at the middle of his forehead and not in his eyes.
ELLIE: And he doesn't ever seem to break.  I also have a problem.  I haven't done this yet, Angela, and again too much information, but I wet my pants a lot when I laugh too hard.  I'm shocked it hasn't happened on set yet.
ANGELA: I can't wait now.

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The special 1-hour baby episode of The Office airs Thursday night at 9.00 pm et/pt