Tragic Details About Jenna Fischer

Fans of "The Office" all know and love Jenna Fischer, who played Pam Beesly for nine seasons of the iconic workplace mockumentary. From the show's earliest seasons, which showed her character trapped in a mediocre receptionist job and a forever engagement, to the later ones in which Pam finally pursued her artistic endeavors, Fischer has had a stunning transformation. Not only was her life changed forever by the success of "The Office," but she's also branched out into other avenues, from hosting a podcast with her best friend and co-star Angela Kinsey to writing a couple books.

In speaking with Vulture in October 2019, the actor explained that she hoped Pam would have had a similarly happy ending in Scranton, Pennsylvania. "I hope Pam is expressing herself somehow artistically — that would be my big dream for her," Fischer shared. "That she found a job or a way to keep doing her art. Because that was really coming out at the end of the show, but we never get to see it fully realized."

Sadly, as successful as Fischer has been, many experiences in her life have been less than rewarding. From her injuries and health issues to the many roadblocks the actor has faced throughout her long and winding career, here are the tragic details about Jenna Fischer you probably didn't know about.

Four years before "The Office" aired for the first time, another show was captivating audiences. "Alias," which premiered in 2001, shot Jennifer Garner into the spotlight as she portrayed Sidney Bristow, an international spy who adopts alter egos as part of her job. However, in an alternate universe, it could've been Jenna Fischer going undercover for the CIA on the ABC show instead, as she also auditioned for the role.

Unfortunately, as she explained on a September 2020 episode of "Office Ladies," the podcast she co-hosts with Angela Kinsey, she didn't get a callback for a harsh reason. At this point in time, Fischer hadn't had much professional success yet as an actor, and it was a major role that could've transformed her entire life. "I got really far ... My scene that I had to audition with was this really emotional, dramatic scene where I'm crying," Fischer explained, describing the experience as "super intense."

While she gave it her all, even recalling difficult memories to push her performance over the line, it just wasn't enough to land the role. Fischer recounted her feedback as: "Jenna blew us away ... We're gonna pass on her because we just, unfortunately, don't think she's hot enough." She went on to explain that, while this was a blow, she had also been turned down from other projects for being "too hot," so it seemed she couldn't win.

Before she went by her stage name Jenna Fischer, Regina Marie Fischer was just a normal girl growing up in St. Louis, Missouri. Her dreams of making it as an actor sent her packing to Hollywood, but she didn't have it easy. Fischer spent two years auditioning with little to no luck before she finally hit a breaking point while shopping at Pottery Barn for a wedding gift. "As I looked around the store, I wondered if I would ever be able to afford to shop in a place like this," Fischer wrote in her 2017 book "The Actor's Life: A Survival Guide" (via Parade).

The struggling actor was living with a stranger, her credit score had tanked, and she hadn't had any work in months. "I lost it. Right there in Pottery Barn, sitting on one of their beautiful Chesterfield leather sofas that I couldn't afford, I lost my s***," she wrote. Worse yet, Fischer felt she couldn't tell anyone about her struggles because she'd been so adamant that she'd make it in the industry.

In a December 2017 article penned by the star for The New York Times, she acknowledged how badly she'd wanted to quit and move home. "I felt like a failure. The thought of quitting was constant. But I was too embarrassed to go back to St. Louis," Fischer remarked. Fortunately, she found a day job as a receptionist to make ends meet before she finally got the callback that would change everything.

By the mid-noughties, Jenna Fischer's career had soared as she was now starring in "The Office" on NBC. However, shortly before kicking off filming Season 4, she suffered an injury that actually impacted the way the premiere was written. While attending a work event in May 2007 at a club in New York City, Fischer went tumbling down a flight of stairs and fractured four bones in her back. While speaking on the "Office Ladies" podcast in December 2020, the actor explained, "My foot slips out from underneath me and I go crashing down on the edge of these stairs hard. To add insult to injury, I also threw my drink in my own face, so that was fun."

Immediately, Fischer knew something was wrong, saying she felt dizzy and nauseated. A bouncer scooped her up and began taking her outside, treating her as if she was "a boozy, drunken Hollywood starlet," the actor remarked. Angela Kinsey had witnessed the entire ordeal, and she, too, knew something was wrong. After lifting up Fischer's shirt to look at her back, she instructed the bouncer to call an ambulance.

A few months afterward, the fan-loved episode "Fun Run" was filmed, which saw Michael hilariously set up a fundraising run to raise awareness around rabies. Because of her major injury, which was still healing, Fischer and John Krasinski's characters opted to walk instead of run on the episode.

Fans of "The Office" know that Jenna Fischer's character had a tumultuous love life over the course of several seasons. From her long-term, on-again off-again romance with Roy to the flirtationship she carried on with Jim before they finally got together, it took time for Pam to find her way to the one she was meant to be with. Sadly, Fischer's life has some parallels, as her first marriage didn't last.

The actor's childhood friend Sean Gunn introduced her to his brother and they hit it off. Fischer and James Gunn of DC Studios fame tied the knot in October 2000, but after less than seven years of marriage, news emerged that the famous duo had tragically split. In an exclusive statement to People in September 2007, Fischer and Gunn said, "We have chosen to separate. We are sorry for any pain this causes family and friends." The exes went on to insist that they would maintain their friendship, as they still had a close bond.

Fischer took her time after the divorce before getting back out there, as she told Redbook (via Us Weekly) in February 2011, "I thought I'd go wild with freedom, but instead I did what I did in college — stay home with my cats." Fortunately, Fischer did find Mr. Right in 2008 when she began working with director Lee Kirk. It took several months for them to start dating, but they've been inseparable ever since, marrying in 2010.

"The Office" was popular when it first aired, but since it became available to stream, a new generation has had the opportunity to enjoy the workplace mockumentary. This has many looking at the dynamics between certain characters differently, and perhaps none more so than Jim and Pam. While many first saw John Krasinski's character as a sweet, lovable guy who waited for the love of his life to finally see him the same way, Pam was unfairly criticized. This has spotlighted a few Jim and Pam moments that didn't age well — at least, that's what Jenna Fischer thinks.

During a May 2021 episode of the "Office Ladies" podcast, in which the actor and Angela Kinsey discussed the two-parter episode "Weight Loss," Fischer called out haters of her character. "I just want to say that when Pam went to art school for only three months when she was not yet married and didn't have children," Fischer began, "people came down real hard on her because of Jim's feelings." She explained that fans didn't acknowledge the glaring double standard.

"When Jim invested in a business without telling Pam, and left his family, and left Pam alone to care for their two children ... people came down on Pam again for not being supportive enough of Jim," Fischer continued. The actor called it like she saw it. "Do I want to call it sexist? I do," she concluded, with Kinsey agreeing wholeheartedly.

Countless actors have dealt with being typecast after starring in a super-popular show. From Jennifer Aniston after "Friends" to Aubrey Plaza following "Parks and Recreation," and even several cast members from "The Office," it's a very real struggle for many in the industry. Sadly, despite the incredible success Jenna Fischer had during the nine-season run of "The Office," starring in a dozen films while the show was on the air, returning to work after its finale proved difficult.

In speaking with Parade in November 2017 about her life post-"The Office," Fischer explained that she still auditioned for projects. "Sometimes I'm offered things, but if there's a role that's different from the work I've done, I have to go fight for it and I have to audition," the actor remarked. "There's no finish line in this business," Fischer added.

Another chance at starring in a long-running series came when she was cast as the wife in "Man with a Plan," opposite Matt LeBlanc, who is widely associated with his "Friends" character Joey Tribbiani. During an episode of "Office Ladies" in July 2021, Fischer explained, "I got hired, I shot the pilot, while I was there, the network said they wanted more scenes with me. I was like, 'I am nailing it.'" Unfortunately, after the pilot was shown to focus groups, the feedback changed. "They liked me, but they said ... 'I don't believe Pam would marry Joey. The chemistry doesn't work between these two,'" Fischer recalled. She was subsequently fired from the show.

On "The Office," Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski had undeniable chemistry. And while their characters shot each other down during the lead up to their eventual relationship, it was nothing compared to what occurred in real life after the series had ended. During a 2016 episode of "Watch What Happens Live," Fischer said, "John and I have real chemistry. There's a real part of me that is Pam and a real part of him that's Jim and those parts of us were genuinely in love with one another."

She clarified that there are also parts of her and Krasinski that are unlike their on-screen characters, but that they had still developed a bond on the show. "He was like a type of spouse that I had for a long time; he was my partner and we will always be close because of it," Fischer concluded. While she undoubtedly had no intention of stirring the pot, as both she and her co-star were happily married to their respective partners, her words made headlines.

Krasinski responded to her comments during a conversation with The Daily Beast at the time, and came off a little colder, perhaps to protect his wife Emily Blunt from the onslaught of Jim and Pam fans. "I'm sure she was trying to say something nice about how genuine the acting relationship was," he explained, adding, "As far as how she was quoted ... I think that was taken wildly out of context and I feel bad for her."

After "The Office" ended in 2013, Jenna Fischer had roles in a few movies, made a handful of one-off appearances on shows like "Newsreaders" and "Drunk History," and landed the mini series "You, Me and the Apocalypse." After struggling to secure anything that could remotely relate to the show that transformed her career, she was finally cast on another sitcom. ABC's rom-com series "Splitting Up Together" premiered in 2018 and saw Fischer star opposite Oliver Hudson as a married couple going through a divorce.

Unfortunately, in response to a Tweet from a fan, Fischer confirmed the news. The actor wrote, "We are all sad we can't continue this story we love so much. Thank you for watching and going on this journey with us!" The second season had reported the second-poorest ratings any ABC show had seen up to that point, and it became clear that "Splitting Up Together" couldn't compete with the network's other incredibly successful series like "Modern Family." It wasn't renewed for a third season, and with its cancellation, Fischer took a hiatus from the spotlight for a while.

She and Angela Kinsey started their "Office Ladies" podcast in 2019, so it wasn't like she'd disappeared altogether. However, Fischer didn't make another on-screen appearance for five years after her show was canceled.

Those who have dealt with anxiety know that it can be difficult to cope at times, especially when the pandemic rolled around. Jenna Fischer confirmed she was one of the many people who struggled with anxiety beforehand when she appeared on Rainn Wilson's podcast "Hey There, Human" in September 2020. "I, for years, have struggled with nervousness and social anxiety," she shared.

While Fischer said lockdown had improved her social anxiety, seeing as how she couldn't exactly "be social" with anyone, she struggled in other ways. "My nervousness and anxiety, [the pandemic] has cranked me up. I'm a very high-functioning anxious person," Fischer explained. Years of dealing with stress and anxiety has led the actor to find different coping skills, and during a May 2021 episode of "Office Ladies," she shared her analogy to help explain what it feels like to be in her shoes.

"The way I think about it is my anxiety is a backpack that I wear every single day," Fischer told Angela Kinsey. While some days are easier than others, meaning she has "heavy backpack days" or lighter ones, she explained, it's "always there and I'm never going to get rid of it." Fischer said she's no longer looking to get rid of her "anxiety backpack" completely, and that acknowledging the fact that she'll always have it, but can take each day as it comes, has helped her dramatically.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

"Turns out I took spring break a little too literally," Jenna Fischer captioned an Instagram post in April 2023, alongside a snap of the actor wearing a sling and holding an ice pack. "The Office" star had suffered yet another injury that required her to wear the sling for six weeks and undergo physical therapy when she went with her family on a skiing trip in Aspen, Colorado. After attempting to scoot on her butt down an embankment, Fischer's legs got twisted and she fell, breaking her right shoulder.

At this point, the TV star had already been cast in 2024's "Mean Girls" musical movie and had only shot one day's worth of scenes, meaning she had to continue the project with her injury. During an interview with People in April 2024, Fischer shared, "If you notice in the opening shot of the movie ... I have a crossbody bag on. And I'm holding my crossbody bag." Fischer explained that the reason this specific prop was used was due to the fact she had to film without her sling, and the bag served as a replacement.

Throughout her scenes, Fischer added, "I'm exclusively gesturing with my left arm. ... A big part of my role in 'Mean Girls' was pretending I didn't have a broken shoulder." While it certainly wasn't an easy feat, Fischer did a great job in her first on-screen appearance in five years.

Tragically, in December 2023, Jenna Fischer received some devastating news from her doctor. Following a routine mammogram with inconclusive results, the actor had a biopsy done and she was diagnosed with Stage 1 triple positive breast cancer. Fischer received treatment privately and only informed her fans in October of 2024 about her health scare in an Instagram post, celebrating that she was now cancer-free.

"I wanted a photo of myself in my patchy pixie looking happy and healthy to go along with this news," the actor captioned the post, alongside a sweet snap of her smiling. In her post, Fischer went on to explain that she'd had a lumpectomy in January and, despite the fact the cancer hadn't spread to other parts of her body, she still had to receive chemotherapy and radiation treatment to ensure it didn't return. It was during this time period that Fischer lost her hair and opted to wear hats and wigs.

"The Office" star gave a special shout out to her best friend Angela Kinsey, who "protected" and "advocated for" Fischer. She continued, "When I lost my hair, she wore hats to our work meetings so I wouldn't be the only one." In sharing the news with her post, Fischer hoped her story would serve as both inspiration for women undergoing similar health issues, as well as a reminder for women to get their routine mammograms.