Rainn Wilson is a well-established actor and comedian. He is best known for playing Dwight Schrute on NBC’s hit sitcom The Office. Dwight was one of the show’s fan favorites, all thanks to Wilson’s astonishing talent and acting skills.
Outside of The Office world, Wilson has made a name for himself as one of the best character actors in TV history. But there’s so much more to him than his iconic role. Here are nine facts you didn’t know about Rainn Wilson.
1. Rainn Wilson Is Also a Podcaster
Wilson’s talent goes beyond his acting roles. He also has a knack for content creation and media. He’s a successful podcaster with several projects under his belt. One of his prominent podcasts is Metaphysical Milkshake which he co-hosts with Reza Aslan. They dive deep into spiritual topics and discuss vital topics like the meaning of life, existential crisis, and more.
2. He Initially Auditioned for the Role of Michael Scott in The Office
Is there anyone who could play the hilariously awkward Michael Scott better than the legendary Steve Carell? Well, at one point, Rainn Wilson had his eyes on the role. He originally audition for the role of the regional manager at Dunder Mifflin but ended up playing Dwight instead. The actor now recalls his audition as one of the worst ones in his career. He says, “I was terrible. It was awful, it was never meant to be, it was just one of those things that I just basically did my Ricky Gervais impersonation because I really didn’t know what to do with the character.”
3. Rainn Wilson Is a Talented Musician
Wilson is a multi-talented force of nature. He’s not just a gifted actor, but he also knows his way around some peculiar instruments. He’s proficient in playing the guitar, the bassoon, clarinet, as well as several other instruments.
4. He Wanted to Make His Own Sitcom Before Joining The Office
Wilson was destined to go down in sitcom history, one way or the other. Before he joined the cast of The Office, he even thoughts of creating his own sitcom. It was supposed to be called Assisted Living, and it would follow two slackers who inherited an old-folks home. Unfortunately, his pitch never got picked up, but he did go on to make television history with Dwight and The Office.
5. Rainn Wilson Is a Published Author
Is there a limit to Wilson’s talent? Apparently, there isn’t. He even published his own book about spirituality. It’s called Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution, and it gives the actor’s perspective on the benefits of spirituality in the challenging world. The book is a New York Times bestseller and an absolute success among Wilson’s like-minded fans.
6. He Is a Member of the Baháʼí Faith
Another fact you probably didn’t know about Rainn Wilson is that he’s a highly spiritual person. He and his family are members of the Baháʼí Faith. Baháʼí Faith is a religion that teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Wilson has another podcast for the Baháʼí community, called Baháʼí Blogcast, where he interviews different respectable people about how their faith and their work collide.
7. He Lived in Nicaragua When He Was a Child
One of the lesser-known facts about Rainn Wilson is that he didn’t live in his hometown his entire childhood. He was born in Seattle but lived in Nicaragua from the ages three to five with his father and stepmother. Then returned together to Seattle when his father and stepmother divorced.
8. He Founded the Successful YouTube Channel SoulPancake
Wilson is a successful businessman. He founded the YouTube channel called SoulPancake in 2008, which has over 3 million subscribers. The company has a noble purpose, and it’s to encourage open-hearted dialogue about what it means to be human. SoulPancake has been acquired by Participant Media in 2016.
9. Rainn Wilson Is Married to Holiday Reinhorn
Wilson is currently married to Holiday Reinhorn, a talented fiction writer known for her short stories, such as “Big Cats.” Wilson and Reinhorn met in an acting class at the University of Washington and got married in 1995. The couple has a son together whom they had in 2004.
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