Wendi McLendon-Covey was fired from a movie because she was “not pretty enough”.
Wendi McLendon-Covey was fired from a movie because she was ‘not pretty enough’
The 55-year-old actress – who did not reveal the name of the movie, nor the person who sacked her – was flown out to Michigan, and when she got on the set for the production, the “money guy” told her not to go to her “dressing room” and instead, a sobbing Wendi was sent back to Los Angeles.
She recalled on a recent episode of the Office Ladies podcast, hosted by The Office stars Jenna Fischer (Pam Beesly) and Angela Kinsey (Angela Martin): “I had just been fired off a movie that I had auditioned, I had done all these things, they flew me out to Michigan.
“I was there one night, got in the passenger van to go to set, and the money guy decided I was not pretty enough to do the role.
“So I was put on a plane crying to go right back to Los Angeles.”
However, Wendi hails her “brutal” firing as a “blessing” because the film did not take off.
She added: “It was pretty brutal and yet a blessing, because that movie went nowhere.
“And I would’ve had to be in Michigan for seven weeks, waiting to film for only five days.
“So that’s fine. That’s how the universe works. Sometimes you’re in the wrong place and something horrible has to happen to get you in the right place.”
But Wendi had the last laugh because when she touched down in Los Angeles, she got a call asking if she wanted to be in the hit NBC sitcom, The Office.
The star said: “So when I land in Los Angeles, I look at my phone, and my phone’s blowing up because I had gotten an offer to do The Office the next day.
“So thank God I got fired, right? Because nobody saw that movie, but everybody saw this.”
Wendi agreed The Office job offer, and she went on to play Concierge Marie, a hotel concierge in Winnipeg, in the series five episode of the Primetime Emmy award-winning sitcom, titled Business Trip.
On the set of The Office, Wendi – who appeared in the show alongside Steve Carell (Michael Scott) – was faced with more sadness as she was told about how she would not be returning to the comedy mockumentary-style law enforcement documentary show, RENO 911!
Wendi recalled: “[We began shooting] on a Friday. The weekend goes on. Monday, I come back, and during lunch, I’m in my trailer eating.
“I get a call that I’m not gonna be on Reno anymore.”
And the actress feared she would get fired from The Office for not being able to pull herself together
Wendi continued: “So, I am sobbing in my trailer. I was like, ‘Ugh.’ I mean, I was like, ‘Well, now I’m gonna get fired from this job because I can’t collect myself.’ It was terrible.
“But the experience was so fun. And Steve Carell is a doll.
“I love the way the episode turned out.”
