‘Twas the evening earlier than Christmas when all by way of the workplace, not a creature was stirring, apart from Meredith Palmer, as a result of her hair was on hearth.
Sure, that is proper, Workplace followers. Within the newest episode of the Workplace Women podcast, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey chatted all in regards to the Season 5 episode, “Moroccan Christmas,” aka the episode when Meredith’s hair catches on hearth within the convention room. Ah, what reminiscences.
Kim M. Ferry, a hairstylist who labored as a member of The Workplace’s hair and make-up crew for eight seasons, informed Mashable in 2020, the present had some fairly wild hair moments. However in the event you’ve all the time puzzled what went into this specific fiery stunt, you are in luck.
Fischer and Kinsey, together with producer Randy Corday and actor Kate Flannery (Meredith), broke down what it was wish to movie this scorching sizzling scene. Spoiler alert: It included a stunt double, a smelly wig, and the Los Angeles Fireplace Division.
Sending Meredith up in flames
To kick off the deep dive, Fischer recalled the scene for listeners: “Meredith is dancing up a storm within the convention room and she or he units her hair on hearth. Dwight has to hurry in and put it out with a fireplace extinguisher.”
“We’ve got lots to share with you as a result of this is without doubt one of the greatest stunts I feel we ever did within the bullpen,” Kinsey mentioned.
“For certain. An individual was on hearth,” Fischer confirmed.
As we discovered from the Workplace Women episode the place the solid chatted about Meredith getting hit by a automotive, Flannery usually did her personal stunts on the present. However for this specific stunt Flannery used a stunt double.
“This is without doubt one of the greatest stunts I feel we ever did within the bullpen.”
“To start with, we did use a stunt double for Kate. Her identify was Marie Fink. Our stunt coordinator that day was Scott Leva. And he needed to do a bunch of prep for this. He needed to ship an entire plan in to NBC Common Security Division explaining how precisely we might do that safely. We had security officers on set. We had a particular results crew on set, and we had the [Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD)] on set,” Fischer mentioned.
“Kate mentioned there have been so many individuals from the fireplace division there that they like took up an entire wall,” Kinsey replied.
“Now, Paul Feig [director and producer] particularly staged this scene in order that Meredith was dancing alone within the convention room and this was carried out to make it safer,” Fischer revealed. “They usually dressed the stunt double, Marie, on this full fireproof physique go well with. It is referred to as like a Nomex. And he or she wore like a head stocking that was flameproof after which she placed on Kate’s wardrobe. I assume these Nomex fits are what race automotive drivers put on after they’re racing, , in case their automotive burst into flames.”
Then, Ferry, the hairstylist we talked about earlier, created a bunch of various wigs for the stunt. Sadly for Flannery, she needed to put on a burnt one to movie the remainder of the episode.
“Kate shared about these wigs, you guys. Kate mentioned, ‘Ange, they have been pure hair. After which they really burned the wigs with hearth.’ And he or she mentioned, ‘I needed to put on the stinkiest wig the entire remainder of the week as a result of, , while you burn hair, the odor,'” Kinsey mentioned.
Along with the fireproof head stocking and and full physique go well with, Fischer defined that they put a flammable gel everywhere in the stunt double’s physique and hair. Then, she used an actual candle within the convention room to set her hair on hearth.
“I assume they did have a stunt double dressed as Dwight. His identify was Shawn Crowder. However ultimately, it was truly Rainn. Rainn ran in and put out the stunt double with an precise hearth extinguisher,” Fischer mentioned.
“I do know. No strain, Rainn,” Kinsey joked. “However Kate mentioned he did it. After which Kate mentioned for continuity they needed to take Marie out. And Kate stepped again in with the burnt wig, proper?”
“The smelly burnt wig form of assumed the identical place Marie was in, after which Rainn needed to spray Kate with the actual hearth extinguisher. So Kate bought hosed as effectively,” she continued.
The scene was reportedly shot in a single take, which was excellent for everybody concerned. And whereas Flannery and her stunt double did not share the display, they did collaborate on one thing essential: Meredith’s smoking sizzling dance strikes.
“Randy informed me that Kate and Marie bought collectively and deliberate out the dance strikes,” Fischer mentioned. “— In order that Marie may look precisely like Kate in her actions. Sure,” Kinsey chimed in.
“[It’s] wonderful to me as a result of it seems to be like utterly spontaneous dancing, however they actually deliberate it in order that it might coordinate. In order that they have been doing the identical factor,” Fischer mentioned.
A really masterful execution, Merediths.
Remember to take heed to the complete podcast and examine extra behind-the-scenes tales from filming “Moroccan Christmas.”
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Originally posted 2021-08-11 15:16:55.