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‘The Paper’ Star Domhnall Gleeson Reveals His Boss Is Nothing Like ‘The Office’s Michael Scott

Originally posted on TV Insider | Last updated Jun 6, 2025 2:50 PM ET

The Paper star Domhnall Gleeson is setting the record straight when it comes to the kind of character he’ll be playing in The Office spinoff.

The actor spoke candidly to People about his new TV gig and made it clear that drawing comparisons between The Paper, which is officially set to debut on Peacock this fall, and the former NBC comedy isn’t necessarily the right thing to do. “I don’t think my character’s like Michael Scott at all,” Gleeson revealed.

As viewers will recall, Steve Carell played Michael Scott, the manager of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton, Pennsylvania branch, and he was known for being a bit of a personality. “I think if you’re trying to compete with what Steve did or with what Ricky Gervais did, I think it would be a massive mistake,” Gleeson iterated, referring to both Carell’s character and the first onscreen manager portrayed by Gervais in the original U.K. version of The Office.

Peacock

“They are geniuses who are incredible in loads of different ways. We made a whole new character. And it’s a whole new sort of setup, but I hope people will find a reason to love him as well, just in a different way than they did the guys before,” Gleeson added.

While details surrounding his character, Ned, have yet to be revealed, Gleeson will headline The Paper, which follows the documentary crew who captured Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch on camera shifting focus to a historic Midwestern newspaper that’s trying to be revived by a publisher.

When it came to taking on the new role, Gleeson revealed advice he’d gotten from The Office‘s John Krasinski, as he told the outlet, “He was wonderful. I mean, his big advice that he gave me was to do it.”

Fans won’t have to wait too much longer to meet Gleeson’s Ned, who will arrive alongside an ensemble of stars, including The Office alum, Oscar Nuñez reprising his role, on Peacock this fall. Stay tuned for more on the spinoff, and let us know if you’re planning on tuning into The Paper when it arrives.

The Paper, Series Premiere, September 2025, Peacock

This article first appeared on TV Insider and was syndicated with permission.

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