Angela Kinsey Discusses Being the Grown up on ‘Tall Girl 2’ Set Amid Enduring Appeal of ‘The Office’ (Exclusive)

In Netflix’s new movie, Tall Girl 2, Jodie (Ava Michelle) continues on her quest towards self-acceptance in a world determined to make her feel different. There to help her along the way are her parents, Richie (Steve Zahn) and Helaine (Angela Kinsey). While they are by no means perfect parents, they do earnestly cheer on their kids every step of the way. According to Kinsey, part of that advice was for Jodie to focus on the school play a little more and the boy drama in her life a little less. 

“I think she knew as a mom what that play was going to mean to her and for her own personal growth and that the boy’s stuff will sort itself out,” Kinsey told PopCulture.com in an exclusive interview. “Like take care of you and just have fun and don’t worry about the boy stuff so much.”

Kinsey also shared how her real-life experience as a mom helped Inform her performance, particularly in a scene where Helaine talks Jodie through a panic attack. “I went into mom mode and I just wanted her to be okay,” Kinsey explained. “And I didn’t know that I would start crying in the scene, but I did when I hugged her, because I just was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ So many times in life, we are our own worst enemy, and no one can tear you down the way you can tear yourself down. And my heart just sort of broke for her as the character. Kinsey also enjoyed her time playing off of Zahn as well and cited their natural chemistry as a highlight of the film. “I will do anything with Steve Zahn,” Kinsey quipped. “What else can we do, Netflix family?”

Kinsey is always happy to talk about her work on The Office, calling It “one of the joys of my life.” However, her fan encounters have changed a bit as the years have gone on. “I love this show and to see new audiences finding it means so much to us as a cast. Every once in a while you do get some funny comments though, from the younger generation,” Kinsey revealed. “I was in Target and a young guy said, ‘You look like the older version of that lady from The Office.’ And you know what? You just laugh. And you’re like, ‘I am. I am the older version.’” Tall Girl 2 is now available to stream on Netflix.