Dwight K. Schrute, (Acting) Manager Q&A

GKCfan: Could you please tell me if that was a real piranha in the tank, and if so, did it require special animal expert supervision? I’ve heard that all potentially dangerous animals require trained guardians, but I don’t know if that applies to fish.

Rainn: I forget the exact kind of fish it was but it was a piranha “look-alike” or “swim-alike.” There was an animal trainer there (Hollywood animal trainers are some of the strangest people you’ll ever meet!).

This guy obsessively checked the temperature of the water and fed and cared for that fish, as well as Jo’s dogs for the episode. Probably, after the episode was done, he fried it up for his family. Or fed it to the dogs.

Justin: Before shooting this episode, I didn’t know that piranhas aren’t legal to film with in California. (I think they’re also not even legal to own, buy, or sell.)

So when you see a piranha in any movie or TV show, it was either shot out of state or they’re using a look-alike, probably a “pacu,” which is what we used. They’re related to piranhas, but much less deadly.

Still, when Rainn decided to stick his whole hand in the tank (in a deleted scene), I thought he was nuts.

Jessi: What happened to Jo’s Great Danes? They weren’t the dogs shown in this episode. Is there a story behind that?

Justin: We decided that Jo has lots of pairs of dogs, like different accessories for different uses.

fontenot: Who painted the portrait of Dwight? Pam? Mose? Otto Mueller?

Justin: He had it done at a kiosk in the Steamtown Mall. But thanks to you, I’ve now wikipedia’d Otto Mueller and feel like I’ve learned as much as I’ve taught.

You Will Estimate Me: Tell us more about the Kevin massage scene, it was hilarious! Whose idea was it for Dwight to climb up the file cabinets? How did Brian withstand the pressure of Rainn pushing on his back? Did Oscar and Angela break?

Rainn: That was a classic scene. So funny. I heard it was Mindy’s idea. It’s ingenious when a writer comes up with so much specificity that involves exact details of the set and props and location.

It was definitely a big workout for my core to get up that high on those file cabinets! We had a blast.

Brian has a bad shoulder so it was hard for me to not put pressure on his left shoulder. I love it when I recoil and say “Ugh, it’s so moist!”

Justin: Yes, that was 100% Mindy Kaling. I couldn’t stop laughing –- each take, they committed to more than the last.

I did have one nervous moment when I heard something that sounded like a crack –- I think it’s the take they used, actually –- and for a moment, I thought Brian had broken his back.

Or rather, that Rainn had broken Brian’s back.