Evan Peters made a notable cameo in The Office's season 7 premiere just a year before launching into fame for his roles in American Horror Story.
One of the most memorable cameos on The Office was by Evan Peters, whose character was featured in one of the series’ most cringe-inducing storylines. While The Office had a few cameos by big names in its later seasons, the majority of its celebrity guest appearances occurred before such actors became famous. Such as Amy Adams appearing in The Office season 1 and a pre-Breaking Bad David Costabile in season 6, the sitcom was notable for casting many actors just shortly before their careers skyrocketed into fame, with Evan Peters’ appearance being one of his last major comedy ventures.
Although The Office season 7 began utilizing stunt casting more often as Steve Carell’s Michael Scott exited the series, the sitcom still utilized many lesser-known comedy actors for cameos. While accomplished actors like Will Ferrell, Timothy Olyphant, James Spader, and Ricky Gervais would later sign on as recurring characters—with the latter reprising his The Office (UK) role—The Office was also clever to cast younger up-and-coming actors to include a generation less present in the show for memorable guest appearances, with their characters primarily put at odds with the main roles. Such instances include Glee’s Kevin McHale as the kidnapped pizza delivery boy, Dakota Johnson as the new Dunder Mifflin employee in the finale, and, of course, Even Peters as Luke Cooper.
Evan Peters made his notable cameo in The Office’s season 7 episode “Nepotism,” which saw him play Michael Scott’s incompetent and cinema-loving nephew, Luke. Kicking off the season 7 premiere, Luke was first introduced without the knowledge that he was Michael’s nephew, as The Office’s characters simply explained that he was hired as an office assistant even though he’s terrible at his job. When The Office’s characters tell Michael that they despise Luke and want him to be fired, Michael reveals that he can’t let him go because he’s his half-sister’s son, with Steve Carell’s character having hired him as a way to bring their family back together. However, when Luke again goofs off and deliberately sabotages Michael’s presentation, Evan Peters’ character is brought out by Dunder Mifflin’s Regional Manager to the bullpen where he bends Luke over on a desk and spanks him in front of the rest of the office. Unsurprisingly, this scene where Michael spanks Luke is truly known as one of the most cringe-worthy scenes in The Office.
After being spanked, Luke leaves Dunder Mifflin and is never seen again, but this didn’t stop the true story of Evan Peters’ cameo from creating one of the most memorable and uncomfortable episodes in the series. On Reddit in 2016, Peters was asked about his time on The Office, to which he responded, “The Office was awesome because Steve Carell spanked me. Hard.” While Luke likely never spoke to Michael after this incident, at least Peters was able to joke about the cringe-worthy moment while fondly remembering his time opposite Steve Carell. Interestingly, The Office season 7 was the second collaboration between Carell and Peters, as the two had previously appeared together in the 2004 teen comedy movie Sleepover.
The true story of Evan Peters’ The Office cameo, which aired in September 2010, was also notable for occurring just a year before he was launched into fame for his role in 2011’s American Horror Story season 1. Peters would then appear in all seasons of American Horror Story but one, where the actor frequently starred opposite The Office’s Jo Bennett actress Kathy Bates, who also appeared in a guest role for “Nepotism.” The true story of Evan Peters’ The Office appearance also marked the end of his comedy streak, as the actor would then primarily take roles in the horror, supernatural, fantasy, crime, or dramatic genres.
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