We all remember the days of Jan Levinson and Michael Scott, the worst (or best, depending on how you think of it) pairing in Office history. The characters dated for two seasons and left their mark as one of the most dysfunctional duos ever.
Melora Hardin, who played Jan, however, does not think Jan was the worst character ever, as many fans believe. She also thinks Jan’s relationship with Michael (Steve Carell) was not all bad.
“There’s something about Jan and Michael that’s very charged,” she said in an interview with the Today Show on February 21, 2020. “I think they had a lot of sexual chemistry … in their kind of, awkwardness, and their different ways of being.”
Still, most fans were relieved when Jan and Michael broke up. Many of them believed that Jan was abusive and Michael was much better off with his new love interest and eventually wife, Holly Flax (Amy Ryan).
So, Michael and Jan moved on. But did Melora Hardin move on as well? The actress and singer has appeared in many different projects since The Office ended, but the series still has a special place in her heart.
How Melora Hardin Landed the Prized Role of Jan Levinson
It’s hard to imagine The Office with someone else playing Jan. How did Melora Hardin win the role in the first place?
According to her in the Today Show interview from 2020, her audition was somewhat last-minute.
“It was funny because it was sort of a last-minute audition,” she said. “I had gotten the call and I went in. So, I did the scene. And you can kind of feel … in a room … when everybody is locked on and [the audition is] kind of gelling. So, it felt really good.”
Her stellar audition was enough to land her the role, but originally, she appeared only as a guest star. It was not until season two that Jan became a regular and her character got developed. It wasn't long before Jan grew into an icon, known for her hard edge and a tendency to fly off the handle.
Melora’s Newfound Acting Career After ‘The Office’
Though Melora Hardin landed her most well-known roles before or during The Office, such as Principal Jane Masterson in 17 Again and Lorelai in Hannah Montana: The Movie, the 53-year-old actress has had a good amount of success in TV shows ever since she played Jan. She had a recurring role on The Blacklist in 2017, playing Isabella Stone, and appeared as Tammy Cashman in Transparent: The Lost Sessions from 2014-2017.
More recently, Melora starred as Patricia Bloom in the show A Million Little Things alongside Lizzy Greene in 2019. She also played Jacqueline Carlyle in The Bold Type in 2020.
In a virtual interview with Gold Derby on YouTube in 2019, Melora revealed that she is somewhat choosy with which characters she chooses to play.
“I’m always looking for things that are meaty,” she said. “I’m always looking for opportunities to be creative and that shows up in many different ways.”
Melora also found her role in A Million Little Things to be particularly rewarding. “I knew that [my character] was interesting and I think the show is really fun. [My] character’s daughter on the show is struggling with cancer, and that’s really interesting."
Melora Still Does ‘Office’ Gigs from Time to Time
Though Melora retired her character on The Office in 2013 when the series ended, she still does a few Office gigs from time to time. For instance, she partnered with Omaze in May 2020 and offered fans a chance to meet The Office cast virtually. Participants had to donate to enter and proceeds went to the Variety Boys & Girls Club.
Melora also still does The Office interviews. In the 2020 interview with the Today Show, she reflected on her role as Jan and discussed her favorite episode: “Dinner Party,” where Jan breaks Michael’s TV screen.
“That was the best episode for Jan, of course,” Melora remarked. “Super, super fun. I think we had three TV screens, so I had three chances. Did I hit it once? Yes. Did I hit it twice? I did. Did I hit it three times?” Melora winked. “Yes, I did! And the crew guys were absolutely enamored with me after that!”
When asked about the longevity of The Office, Melora revealed that she believes the show will live on for decades, because: “It’s so exciting how people just love this show and continue to love it.”