Jenna Fischer says she praised John Krasinski's talents long before he was a Hollywood movie star The actress used to compare his career to that of Tom Hanks, who also starred in television before making the switch to films Fischer and Krasinski starred as on-screen lovers Pam and Jim onThe Officefrom 2005 to 2013 Jenna Fischeralways knewJohn Krasinskiwould find success in his career. On the Wednesday, May 28, episode of theFly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spadepodcast, the 51-year-old actress reflected on seeing star power very early on in Krasinski, 45. During their conversation, she was asked if she was surprised to see her formerThe Officecostar direct 2018'sA Quiet Place, starring his wife, British actressEmily Blunt. "It was a surprise to none of us," Fischer said. "I would always say to John, 'I think you're gonna be like ourTom Hanks.' " She then asked Carvey, 69, and Spade, 60, if they were familiar with Hanks' role in the 1980 sitcomBosom Buddies. Fischer called the short-lived, two-season series "a very famous successful TV show." "But, like, when you think of Tom Hanks, you don't think ofBosom Buddies," she said of the 68-year-old Academy Award winner. "You think of everything else Tom Hanks has done." She continued, "And I was like, 'I thinkThe Officeis gonna be yourBosom Buddies.' Like, you're going places." Fischer also called Krasinski "very humble in that way," adding that when she would make the comparison, it would be "very embarrassing to him." American Broadcasting Companies via Getty "He doesn't wanna be, like, fussed over like that. But I was like, no. It's true, mister," she added ofPEOPLE 2024 Sexiest Man Alive. From 2005 to 2013, Krasinski and Fischer starred opposite one another as Jim Halpert and Pam Beesley in the NBC sitcomThe Office. Their quirky office romance eventually bloomed into an on-screen marriage. During a July 2020 episode ofAn Oral History of The Officepodcast, Fischer said fans sometimes had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that Jim and Pam's relationship wasn't real. "People don't know how John and I are not a couple in real life," Fischer told hostBrian Baumgartner, who played Kevin Malone on the series. "They don't understand it." "I don't know how to explain it, because it's a little bit like telling kids there's no Santa," she added. Krasinski and Blunt, 42, got married in 2010, and Fischerwed writer and director Lee Kirkthe same year. Valerie Macon/Getty "The bottom line is that we were playing characters, but I know that if people think of us as John and Jenna, then it's destroying some of the magic of Jim and Pam," Fischer added. In May 2024,NBC announceda spinoff ofThe Office, titledThe Paper. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "I'm excited to see what they do with it. It's such an amazing idea," Krasinski toldExtrathis month. When asked if he wouldreturn as Jim, he said: "Done! If they ask me, I'm in." Read the original article onPeople
