The trailer of ‘The Office‘ Australian remake came under heavy fire when it was released last month. Many comments read that the show would be a “cheap parody” of the classic American version. However, actress Felicity Ward claims that her role as the lead was sealed with the approval of Ricky Gervais, the old boss in the British version of ‘The Office’.
Ward is set to star as Hannah Howard as the new girl boss in the Australian remake. In light of “angry” fans, Ward assured that Gervais gave the nod to a female lead and is eagerly awaiting the new adaptation. Ward revealed how she prepared for the role of Hannah Howard, yet another comically bizarre boss trying to keep morale up in a boring office.
“Pretty Chill Actually”: How Felicity Ward Feels About The Upcoming Release Of The Australian Remake Of ‘The Office’
Felicity Ward walked the carpet for the Prime Videos Presents: Trailblazers on Tuesday in London where she talked about all the criticism her upcoming show, the Australian version of ‘The Office‘, is facing.
“Ricky Gervais has approved a female lead, he’s very excited about a female lead — just in case anyone is angry,” the actress said, steering clear of any flak that has come her way. The Australian remake has faced immense criticism even before its release, with many stating that the success of the classic American and British versions cannot be imitated.
However, Ward vouched for the Australian version, which would be the 13th remake of ‘The Office’, at the Trailblazers event.
Ward opened up about what she felt upon the imminent release of ‘The Office’. “Pretty chill actually. English people and people that love ‘The Office’, they’re like, ‘Hey, whatever you do with it is fine,'” she said.
The Australian remake is scheduled to release on October 18, 2024, on Prime Videos. Ward will lead the Sydney-based packing company named, Flinley Craddick in the series.
“I Did Zero Preparation”: Felicity Ward Claims ‘The Office’ Boss Is Part Of Her Personality
Felicity Ward also said that when she read the script of ‘The Office’, she immediately clicked with her character. “I did zero preparation because I read the script and I’m like, ‘Oh my god, this is every annoying part of my personality.’ I’ve been preparing for this my whole life,” she said.
Ward’s character, Hannah Howard, does not seem light-tempered like David Brent and Michael Scott. However, she does not lack in peculiarities.
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Ward revealed how Hannah was created by showrunner Julie De Fina. She said, “It was just all in the script. And I don’t know if it’s Julie De Fina… I don’t know how much she had seen of me before, but it was as if she just, like, got the tapes and then edited out the charm and the bits that people liked and then just wrote a character, so it’s just there.”
