Chelsea Frei on THE PAPER Season 2, Breaking Character and Her NBC Internship Past
The actress recalls warning a camera operator to stop cutting to her mid-scene.
Chelsea Frei visited TODAY to talk about season two of THE PAPER, the Peacock mockumentary comedy spun off from THE OFFICE. Frei discussed how she gets input on the direction of her character's arc during the conversation, giving viewers a glimpse into how the writers and cast collaborate on the show's evolving storylines.
Much of the segment centered on Frei's tendency to break character during filming. She described telling the crew to stop pointing the camera at her mid-take, joking, "I had to tell our cameraman crew, Phil, 'do not cut to me with the camera because I'm just going to keep ruining this take.'" The anecdote offered a behind-the-scenes look at the mockumentary format's loose, improvisational feel.
Frei also revisited her time interning at NBC, recalling a moment when SNL alum Fred Armisen crashed her interview. The story tied together her early career at the network with her current starring role on one of its streaming platforms' flagship comedies.
THE PAPER's second season follows the Toledo Truth Teller staff after the paper swept the Ohio Journalism Awards, with cast members including Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore alongside Frei. Gleeson recently discussed his own character's arc during a separate TODAY appearance, previewing the season's storylines around the newsroom's shifting dynamics.
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...
