The Office star Rainn Wilson was reminded just how much the show he starred in means to some people after a recent incident at a US airport.
Wilson, who played Dwight Schrute in the beloved US version of the hit comedy, was passing through Portland International Airport when a flight attendant dropped a handwritten note into his lap.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Plane passenger watching hit TV show mid-flight unknowingly sits beside star of the show.
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The actor shared the note with his followers on X (formerly Twitter), genuinely touched by its heartfelt message.
“I didn’t even see who dropped this on my lap at the PDX airport but I greatly appreciate the sentiment, flight attendant Melanie of Alaska Airlines,” he captioned the post.
The note read: “The Office got me through some of the darkest days of my life.”
“I can’t thank you enough for that,” it continued.
“Sincerely, Melanie.
“Alaska flight attendant.”
Wilson said he was “humbled” by the words.
“So humbled to be part of a show that affected, touched, comforted and inspired,” he wrote.
“And continues to do so!
“It’s so f****** rare.
“A continuous Thank You to the whole Office family, cast, writers, crew, and especially AUDIENCE!”
Wilson did add one caveat, however.
“Note: this is not an open invitation to give me notes on napkins!” he joked.
Wilson’s post was a hit with followers, attracting more than 1000 comments, more than 3500 reposts and 92,000 likes.
“This show gives me the best warm feeling ever,” one fan wrote.
“Unbeatable.”
“Co-signing. The Office got me and my family through the 2020 pandemic lockdown,” wrote another.
“And you’re TOTALLY going to get more notes on napkins now.”
“Comedy can help people cope. Thanks for the laughs,” said a third, while another added: “Yes, you pretty much were on the best show ever made.”
Wilson had another encounter with a fan of The Office during a flight in April last year.
The actor filmed a clip of the person sitting next to him watching The Office, completely unaware that the actor he was watching was seated right beside him.
Wilson was incognito in a face mask, hat and headphones, and he wasn’t wearing the dorky spectacles his character wears on the TV show.
In the video posted to his Instagram Stories (as seen in the video player above), Wilson shook his head and panned across to the passenger eating and watching The Office.
“When the person sitting next to you has no idea who you are,” the clip was captioned.
In an Instagram Live conversation with co-star Steve Carrell in 2020, Wilson acknowledged how The Office was helping people get through COVID lockdowns.
“One thing that’s been really gratifying for me is during this really dark time, I’ve heard from so many people that they’ve really appreciated having The Office there,” Wilson said.
“That it has a warmth and humanity to it, kind of a family feel that makes it a special thing and that’s helped them during this time, and even helped their mental health,” Wilson said.
The US version of The Office ran over nine seasons from 2005 to 2013.
Since the show finished, Wilson has appeared in several TV series including Backstrom, Utopia and Dark Winds.
He also appeared in the podcast series Killing Hollywood: The Cotton Club Murder.
Wilson is also a published author, recently releasing a book called Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution.
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