Sabrina Impacciatore on The Paper, Bloody Knees, and Building Esmeralda: Podcast

"Sabrina Impacciatore showed up to The Paper - the long-awaited return to the world birthed by The Office - like a heat-seeking comet, all glamour, sharp elbows, and survival instinct. She spoke with Kyle Meredith about stepping into a franchise with generations of fans and finding the funny even when the stakes feel like a barbell on your shoulders. She calls the weight a motivator, not a burden,"

"Case in point: the soon-to-be infamous "worm" moment. "Why don't we shoot me doing the worm?" she pitched, only to discover the worm is an '80s break-dance move that she absolutely didn't know how to do. A midnight YouTube cram session later, she arrived on set, launched into it, and swears she delivered "the best worm in the history of worms," just as the director tells her that it was only a rehearsal take. We get to see the bloody knees version."

"Esmeralda took shape the same way: on instinct, under pressure, and with mischievous freedom from Greg Daniels and Michael Koman. "Esmeralda was born in front of us," she says, from 11 pages of audition monologues to the idea that "she will survive no matter the costs." Impacciatore insisted on a streak of innocence, because monsters are funnier (and truer) when they're a little kid at heart."

Sabrina Impacciatore joins The Paper as Esmeralda, bringing glamour, sharp instincts, and survival-driven ambition to a newsroom role. She embraced nerves during early table reads and navigated language barriers while committing fully to comedic choices. A memorable 'worm' moment required late-night practice and physical commitment, resulting in a rehearsal that became a real-take blooper. Esmeralda emerged through improvisation and collaboration with Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, shaped from lengthy audition material into a character defined by ruthless ambition tempered by a streak of innocence. Impacciatore treats pressure as motivation and blends physicality, humor, and vulnerability to create a striking performance.

Read at Consequence