Phyllis Smith, best known for her role as the endearingly mousy Phyllis Lapin-Vance on the hit NBC sitcom "The Office," has a story that is far more layered and surprising than one might expect. Her path to acting success was unconventional, marked by unexpected turns and a resilience that ultimately led her to find fame later in life.
Early Life and a Passion for Dance
Born on August 15, 1949, in St. Louis, Missouri, Phyllis Smith's early life was rooted in the Midwest. As a child, she regularly visited the Carondelet branch of the St. Louis Public Library with her mother. However, it wasn't the books that captured her imagination, but rather the dance studio next door. Despite being shy, she was drawn to the grace and energy of the dancers. Smith started with ballet, then a year later, added tap. Jazz came three years later. And then she just did it all.
At the age of seven, Smith took the initiative to pursue her passion, looking up the number to the dance studio and inquiring about lessons. She began with ballet and later expanded into tap and jazz. Dancing became her outlet, a space where she felt confident and alive. One of her teachers even remarked that she was like two different people, "beaming" on stage compared to her shy demeanor offstage.
Smith excelled in dance, studying under Marjorie Mendolia, a former member of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She joined the St. Louis Civic Ballet and then the St. Louis Dance Theatre. Although she was technically proficient, she knew she wasn't emotionally ready to leave home. She didn’t think she would be able to survive New York all by herself at 18 years old.
A Burlesque Dancer in Long Beach
Instead she eventually found work at Mrs. Mendolia’s studio, teaching at night, until she hooked up with a traveling vaudeville duo and moved out to Long Beach, Calif., to revamp an old Broadway burlesque show. For a year, she sang, danced and even worked on her comedic timing. It was more or less what she’d always dreamed of. And just like that, she was a working dancer. For a year, she embraced the life of a performer, singing, dancing, and honing her comedic timing in a revamped Broadway burlesque show. It was, in many ways, the realization of her dreams.
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However, her dancing career was cut short by a knee injury. During a cancan number, her foot caught on the center seam of the stage and twisted her leg. Her knee buckled under the full weight of her body and tore her ACL. And it was all over. She calls it “very disappointing” without elaborating. Time and perspective have no doubt lessened the blow. She says she knew her career was winding down anyway-she was in her thirties when it happened-but that didn’t make it any easier to accept at the time. “Oddly enough, I made a decision in my mind that because I loved it so much, that if I couldn’t dance professionally, I wasn’t going to dance at all.”
From Casting Associate to Accidental Actress
After her dancing career ended, Smith transitioned to a different side of the entertainment industry. She found work as a receptionist and made a little extra money selling tickets at a movie theater. version of The Office: “I can do this.” She became a casting associate in Hollywood, working under Allison Jones on various projects, including "The Office." Smith spent 12 years in the casting business and never asked whether there was a role for her. She just hadn’t thought of using casting as a vehicle to get into acting.”
Initially, Smith was simply a casting associate for "The Office," assisting in finding the right actors for the roles. However, fate had other plans.
Becoming Phyllis Lapin-Vance
The creators of "The Office" were so charmed by Smith's personality that they created the role of Phyllis Lapin specifically for her. The character, a soft-spoken saleswoman with a sometimes-contentious relationship with Michael Scott, was a perfect fit for Smith's natural warmth and comedic timing.
Despite her initial surprise, Smith embraced the opportunity and quickly became a fan favorite on the show. She received Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2006 and 2007 for her performance in The Office in the category "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series".
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Life After "The Office" and Voicing Sadness
Since her success on "The Office," Smith has continued to work in both television and film. She played a supporting role in the film "Bad Teacher" in 2011.
In 2015, Smith lent her voice to the character of Sadness in the Pixar film "Inside Out." Her performance was met with widespread critical acclaim, further solidifying her status as a talented and versatile actress.
The Duality of Phyllis
One of the most intriguing aspects of Phyllis Smith is the contrast between her on-screen persona and her real-life experiences. As Phyllis Lapin-Vance, she embodies a certain quietness and unassuming nature. However, Smith's background as a dancer and her unexpected journey to acting reveal a more adventurous and resilient spirit.
Smith herself acknowledges the blurring of lines between herself and her character, stating, "I think I know myself better than she does." This subtle distinction highlights the skill and artistry she brings to her portrayal of Phyllis Lapin-Vance.
Smith had a brush with fame as a burlesque dancer when she was in her twenties. When she was younger, she "may have turned a few heads because I was tall and thin. I wasn’t real attractive, just sort of in the nebulous middle. Then I got older and got heavy, and people stopped holding doors for me at the bank-it was like I wasn’t even there,” she says, and even though she says she’s comfortable with who she is, we sense a hint of lingering disappointment. “So now, when people approach me, I’m not even aware that they’ve seen me.”
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Weight Loss and Body Image
The topic of weight loss is touched upon in both Smith's personal life and in "The Office," particularly in the episode "Weight Loss" from season five. In the episode, the Scranton branch participates in a weight loss competition to win extra vacation days.
The episode explores the various and often unhealthy methods people employ to lose weight, highlighting the pressures and insecurities surrounding body image. Kelly, for example, stops eating and tries various diets, ultimately collapsing after one of the weigh-ins.
In her own life, Smith has spoken about the challenges of body image and the societal pressures she faced. She mentioned a time when she felt invisible after gaining weight, noting that people stopped holding doors for her.
Smith says she made a decision "to be seen as a person not as a “fat person”. I ate less and exercised more. I ate better foods, fewer processed foods, more fiber, less fat. Being hungry and not caring. I eat the same and exercise the same. I’m seen more by all people. Men find me attractive. It’s okay to be hungry. It’s America. Exercise is your friend. Want to eat more? Buy new clothes for each new size or find a consignment store. Do NOT go around in baggy old clothes or keep them. A healthy diet of salad or lean meat or soup."