‘Office’ Mom Angela Kinsey

The single-mom star of The Office talks about the show’s series finale and how television fosters family time.

You’re currently filming your long-running show’s series finale. What does that feel like?
The Office has been nine years of my life. The people I work with are not just cast mates; they’re my family. most of us came out to Los Angeles to act, so our families are not here, and that’s the case for me. that’s one reason why these relationships are so strong. I’m sad we won’t get to do this together anymore, but careers should evolve. We’ve been involved in the creative process of saying goodbye to our characters, so in that way it’s fulfilling.

What was it like to be the first mom on the set?
It was an interesting process. First, we had to figure out how to work around me being pregnant and then everything I needed to do as a new mom, like breastfeeding my daughter, Isabel [age 5]. But we made it work, which shows how great the show was. That’s not always how it is in comedy. Coming from the comedy world, I often walk into a room and it’s all men. You have to fight to have a voice as a female comic.

How did you become brand ambassador for Citrus Lane subscription service?
New parents tend to trust other people to vet baby products for us. The creators of Citrus Lane do the research and then bring the products to your home. I’ve given the product-box subscription to some of my first-time mom friends, and they’ve loved getting the packages.

There is something exciting about getting big boxes of mail.
Yes! For you and your child—it becomes a family activity. Getting mail in my home is a big deal. When I was little, we’d just get excited when the trash truck came!

How will you celebrate Mother’s Day?
Last Mother’s Day was amazing, and I want to re-create it. My mom and one of my sisters came out to visit Isabel and me. We had a great lunch, and then we went to the park close to my house. It was several generations of women, and mothers—the best!

How do you spend quality time with Isabel?
We are total homebodies. She has preschool and gymnastics, those usual “I’m a preschool girl” activities. But when you’re a working mom, being home can be a vacation. On the weekends, I try to have one day when we don’t go anywhere. We stay in and do arts and crafts. And we have great neighbors. On my street, there are a bunch of kids who yell from one yard to the other calling for the kids to come out and play! So being home at least one day helps get us back in sync before Monday and the craziness of school and work kicks in.

What’s next for you?
I’d like to get on another TV show because I realize you can have a normal life if you’re on TV. If you see a bunch of actors on television, you can bet that they have kids. I start in the morning, drop my daughter off at preschool, go to work, and then I’m done by 4:30 or 5:00. I’m always home for dinner, which is great. So I want to find another TV family that I’ll love and keep working in this profession that makes me happy.

Angela’s Single-Mom Tips
Cultivate nurturing bonds. It’s important with others to focus on your common ground, which is the love for your children. Hopefully through that you can find friendship.

Let yourself lean. I have really good friends and sisters I lean on for moral and emotional support. It has made all the difference.

Create a venting circle. Typically, you would vent to your partner, but when you can’t do that, you need to build a circle of friends with whom you can get everything off your chest—without judgment.

Don’t forget you. You’re working and want all your free time for your child, but you need time for yourself. I get up an hour before Isabel and drink tea on my porch in my pink fuzzy bathrobe before starting the day.