Brian Baumgartner is a talented actor and a TV veteran. He will always be remembered for his role as the clumsy and socially-awkward accountant Kevin Malone in the NBC sitcom The Office. He truly graced the show with his unique presence and helped it make its mark on TV history. Even though it’s bee over a decade since The Office ended, it is still widely considered one of the greatest sitcoms of all time.
Baumgartner has also appeared in other similar sitcoms over the course of his long career. He’s a true TV legend and a delight to watch. But what has he been up to lately? Here are nine facts you probably didn’t know about Brian Baumgartner.
1. Brian Baumgartner Is a Podcast Host
Baumgartner is not just a comedian, he’s also a prominent podcast host with several shows in his portfolio. He dived into the world of podcasting in 2020 when he created the podcast called An Oral History of The Office. The podcast featured interviews with the cast and creators from The Office. Then, in 2021, he hosted and executive produced another podcast about The Office called The Office Deep Dive with Brian Baumgartner. This podcast offered more in-depth interviews with his co-stars.
2. He Is Close Friends With Aaron Rodgers
Another fact you probably didn’t know is that Brian Baumgartner is close friends with NFL superstar Aaron Rodgers. They have reportedly been best friends since 2008. Interestingly enough, Rodgers is a huge fan of the show and even made a cameo in The Office as one of the judges on a talent show called America’s Next A Capella Sensation, alongside Clay Aiken and Santigold.
3. He Is a Published Book Author
Baumgartner also has a talent for writing. He’s a published book author with several books in his portfolio. He co-authored Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office with Ben Silverman and Greg Daniels. He also published a cookbook with chili recipes called Seriously Good Chili Cookbook: 177 of the Best Recipes in the World. To make things more exciting, the book comes with a special foreword written by Baumgartner’s fellow accountant on The Office, Oscar Martinez, aka Oscar Nuñez.
4. Brian Baumgartner Is Also a Chili Master
Baumgartner is a part of one of the most hilarious scenes in The Office. It’s the famous chili scene when Kevin spills a huge pot of his signature chili onto the floor of the office and then makes things worse by trying to scoop it up with some clipboards and paperwork. Well, it seems Kevin is not the only one who’s a chili maestro. Baumgartner is also known for his chili recipes, which he encapsulated into his own cookbook.
5. Brian Baumgartner Appeared in Many Other Popular TV Shows
Brian Baumgartner appeared in other popular sitcoms and TV shows throughout his career. He had roles in Jake in Progress, Arrested Development, and Everwood. He was also in The Goldbergs, Hot in Cleveland, and Mike and Molly. Even though the actor didn’t want to stay Kevin Malone forever, this remains his most popular role. Over the years, Baumgartner learned to embrace his fame with engaging podcasts and similar projects. He once said, “I consider it a blessing, especially the amazing fans who talk about how The Office gave them comfort, how it helped them during a difficult time. I mean, countless stories, way more than I can mention. That’s an amazing thing.”
6. He Is Still Close to His Castmates From The Office
It is always a delight when fan favourite characters are friends in real life. Fortunately for The Office fans, that’s the case with Baumgartner and his co-stars. Judging by his social media, the actor is still close to his fellow comedians, like Rainn Wilson and Jenna Fischer. In fact, Brian Baumgartner often shares photos with his co-stars from The Office on his Instagram account.
7. Brian Baumgartner Is From Atlanta, Georgia
Brian Baumgartner was born on November 29, 1972, in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in Atlanta, before he went on to graduate from The Westminster Schools. He later moved to LA to pursue his acting career.
8. He Is Happily Married
Brian Baumgartner has been happily married since 2014. He married his long-time girlfriend, Celeste Ackelson, in a beautiful ceremony in his garden. All his Office co-stars attended the wedding, making this day even more special for the actor. They have a daughter together, Brylee Bea.
9. Brian Baumgartner Has Significant Theatre Experience
Baumgartner is not just a TV veteran, but he’s also a theatre actor. He has significant theater experience going way back to his time at The Westminster School when he competed in speech events and drama. The actor even majored in theater and graduated from Southern Methodist University. He then went on to serve as Artistic Director of Hidden Theatre in Minneapolis. After that, he performed at the Guthrie Theater, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and Children’s Theater Company.
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