LOS ANGELES – It’s a very busy time for Ed Helms. The comedic actor is watching this season’s final episodes of “The Office” hit the airwaves while promoting the sequel to his 2009 surprise blockbuster “The Hangover,” aptly titled “The Hangover, Pt. II.” HitFix spoke to Helms about his TV gig and his thoughts about the departure of Steve Carell from the show.
Surprisingly, just as co-star John Krasinski told us a few weeks ago, Helms is pretty excited about what the future of “The Office” can be in a dynamic without Michael Scott’s presence.
“I am so insanely pumped for next year. I think the loss of Steve Carell is heartbreaking on a lot of levels, but it’s also an epic opportunity you don’t — you don’t get an opportunity [like this] that often, to really reinvent something and take the reins in a way,” Helms says. “And I am excited to see what happens.”
Helms also noted that it’s the incredibly talented cast including Krasinski , Rain Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Mindy Kaling, Oscar Nunez and Craig Robinson, among others, that gives him faith that the show doesn’t need to replace Carell.
“I have so much confidence in our cast,” Helms says. “It’s such a deep bench of actors and comedians and there are an infinite number of wonderful stories to tell with these characters.”
“The Office” airs this Thursday at 9 PM on NBC.
Look for more from Helms on “The Hangover, Pt. II” next week on HitFix.