After nine seasons, The Office officially closed its doors for good on May 16 in a heartfelt and humorous 75-minute series finale. John Krasinski opens up about his final day of work in the May 20 issue of Us Weekly.
"The last shot we taped was everyone exiting the office. We were all joking around, and after one of the takes, [executive producer] Greg Daniels said, 'That's the end of The Office!'" the 33-year-old recalls. "It was a gut punch."
Though he teared up during the hourlong retrospective that aired before the series finale, Krasinski says the cast kept it together on set. "I don't think there were any tears. I'm saving mine for Barbara Walters!" he jokes. "But the only thing that prevented us from having a meltdown is we're all so proud of the show."
The Newton, Mass., native has no other projects in the pipeline for now. Instead, he's hoping to spend some time with his wife of three years, actress Emily Blunt. "I'm waiting to see where I want to go next," Krasinski explains. "Saying goodbye is bittersweet."
When Krasinski was first cast as Dunder Mifflin sales representative Jim Halpert, he had no idea how iconic the American adaptation of the British comedy would become. In the years that followed, Krasinski realized how much the documentary-style comedy affected pop culture.
"To say this show gave me everything is the biggest understatement," Krasinski tells Us. "I was a waiter before The Office, so to me, this was a winning lottery ticket. Everything about my life has changed."