According to John Krasinski, one of the stars of television’s The Office (Season Six began airing last week), he’s been looking for the “perfect” motion picture role to do during his short hiatuses between seasons of The Office ever since the Americanized version of Ricky Gervais’ British comedy sensation hit North American airwaves. Although he has snagged lead roles in such films as the George Clooney-directed Leatherheads and License To Wed (with Robin Williams), both ended-up box office and artistic disappointments.

“I’m always looking for a film that will challenge me as an actor,” Krasinski insisted a few years ago. “I’m always waiting for that role that will blow me away and make me push myself as an actor.” Krasinski would find what he was looking for when Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes (American Beauty) phoned him with an offer to star in the comedy Away We Go. Thinking the offer was a ruse, courtesy of his pal George Clooney, Krasinski almost passed on the part. “I’m so glad it wasn’t one of George’s pranks,” he admits, “because it’s one of the best gifts I’ve ever been giving as an actor in a movie. It’s one of those great one-of-a-lifetime parts.” (Krasinksi’s interview plus this week in home video, after the jump.)

In Away We Go, Krasinski and Maya Rudolph play Burt and Verona, an unmarried, expectant couple that hit the road in search of the perfect the place to raise their offspring. Exploring the comedic twists and turns as the happy couple visit family and friends — played by Jeff Daniels, Allison Janney, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Catherine O’Hara and Jim Gaffigan — to find their dream home, Away We Go is a hysterical, heartfelt and witty comedy that has critics praising Krasinski’s performance as a potential Best Actor Academy Award-winning part. The shy and humble Krasinski is not one to take any of the credit. “This movie is great because of Sam Mendes,” he declares. “He really did a great job. It is a fantastic movie, and it’s movie that has everything to do with Sam. I’m just a tiny piece of the machinery. I’m just happy to have been a part of it.”

Would you call Away We Go a comedy?
“Well, life isn’t funny in the way of dogs biting you in the butt and running from moving trucks. Although, if someone lives their life like that I want to meet them. But, I don’t see it as a comedy, in the usual sense. There is something about it, it’s more of an honest movie –how honest it is, is really special. (Screenwriters) Dave (Eggers) and Vendela (Vida) wrote these characters so well, people said, ‘What did you base your character on?’ There is nothing to base it on when someone writes a script that good.”

Did you really think George Clooney was playing a prank on you when you got a phone call saying that Sam Mendes wanted to meet with you about a movie?
“Yeah, I did. I got a call, supposedly from the real Sam Mendes, saying that he had just read a script and no one else could do it but me. Immediately, I thought of George Clooney.”

Why Clooney?
“It’s because George Clooney is such a habitual prankster. When I got the call, I thought, ‘I just know this is not real. George is going to get a good laugh out of this one.’ But, thank God, Sam really wanted me for the role. I’m glad I didn’t tell Sam off or anything like that.”

How would describe the relationship between your character, Burt, and his pregnant girlfriend Verona [Maya Rudolph]. What is their biggest problem?
“If this couple has any problem in the film, it’s not the place to live or their friends or relatives. The biggest problem is that they love each other too much. This isn’t a relationship about flowers and diamonds. It’s about knowing everything in a glance. I haven’t seen a romance like this on screen for a long time.”

Sam Mendes was very adamant in saying that Away We Go should not be considered a pregnancy movie.
“He’s right. This is a different movie than Knocked-Up. To me, it has nothing to do with the fact we’re having a baby it’s a catalyst to focusing on ourselves in a new way.”

What was it like working with former Saturday Night Live star Maya Rudolph?
“It was great. We fell in love in real life. Her partner [director] Paul Thomas Anderson doesn’t care. [Laughs] Maya is truly one of my favorite people on earth to watch. I reached stalker status when she was on SNL. I’m a total nerd that way if I love someone’s performance. The first day we started rehearsing for this movie, I just knew she would be one of my best friends. We talked about our lives, hopes and dreams. I was feeling so comfortable. Then we got to the set and Sam said to get into bed.”

Are you surprised that the interracial relationship between you and Maya didn’t cause any uproar at all?
“No, not at all. That is a fact in the movie. To me, it represents reality in a great way. It’s not an issue for most people whether you’ve been an interracial couple or a gay couple. It doesn’t matter anymore what this movie does so well, it’s about how honest a relationship needs to be despite and who you’re in the relationship with. It’s not a driving force between the couple that Maya is black, so it doesn’t matter to the story and audiences realize that.”

Is it true that you didn’t care for the name of your character, Burt Farlander, very much?
“Not at first. When I read the name Burt, it didn’t sound right. What kind of name is Burt Farlander? When we started shooting that was the only name possible for this guy. I started thinking, ‘That’s a very Burt-esque thing to do.’ The word Burt eventually meant almost childlike to me. So, I started to like it.”

Since Away We Go is one big road movie, did you have to travel for a lot of location shooting? How did you like it?
“I loved it. Connecticut was Madison, Wisconsin and our house in Denver. Then we went to Phoenix, Tucson, Orlando and Miami. It was like being on the road with a band. It was exciting to stay in all those hotels. I got that feeling when you just hoped that your parents weren’t watching.”

Don’t you live in L.A.? Is L.A. where you’d like to settle down or would you like to move back to your home in Boston?
“I like living in Los Angeles. I guess I should say I don’t hate it anymore. I guess when you’re from the East Coast, L.A. feels very different because it’s so spread out. You can’t walk anywhere. I love Boston and there is no real rhyme or reason to L.A. like there is in Boston. There is no definite city and suburbs. This is one of the most changing cities you will ever find. You can feel like you’re in New York City one minute in L.A. and then you’re in the wilds of Oregon because you drove to the mountains.”

But, aren’t you really a New York kind of guy?
“Yeah, there is still something about New York that calls to me. I would love to live there. You gotta respect a city that dictates whether you’re having a good day or a bad day.”

Does all the traveling ever get to you?
“I have an incredibly gifted existence. Yes, I’m away from my family and loved ones. I don’t see my nieces and nephews enough. I constantly wonder if the choices I’m making are good ones. I guess, like in the movie, I ask where I belong. But I don’t think people ever stop wondering where they belong. Maybe you never figure it out.”

Did you always know that you wanted be an actor or was there an alternate career plan?
“I had always planned on becoming an English teacher, until the very day I graduated college. I thought about it for a second and said, ‘I think I want to act. I’m going to give this acting thing a shot.’”

How do you balance a film career with your role as Jim Halpert on The Office?
“First off, it’s completely and totally surreal being on The Office. Having The Office as my day job is just insane. When I go and make a movie, I get to come back to The Office, which makes no sense. Those amazing people choose to work with me? The idea that they took a chance on me is insane.”

What do fans expect from the new season of The Office?
“I believe our writers are still in a coma from last season. [Laughs] We did 26 episodes last season. I still can’t believe we did a 100th episode. If I was being honest, it feels like we’ve done about 49 episodes. But this is our sixth year of the show.”

On your hiatus, you worked with Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin in the untitled Nancy Meyers comedy. What do you play?
“I’m Meryl’s daughter’s fiancée. I love Nancy’s movies, it’s fun when they tell you that all your scenes are with Meryl or Steve Martin. I’m the good guy in the middle of a love triangle she has, I represent the really good guy her daughter happens to be with and she wants to find happiness with.”

Your have a great personal life [he plans to marry actress Emily Blunt later this year] and you have a fantastic career. How do you feel about the future?
“I know I’m going to wake up one day and find out that my entire career is one big George Clooney prank. [Laughs] Honestly, I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. I hope it never drops. Please don’t let it drop.” ]

Away We Go
Blu-ray Bonus Features: Feature Commentary with director Sam Mendes and writers Dave Eggers & Vendela Vida, two featurettes and the BD-LIVE! Exclusive – collect movie clips and trailers in the BD-LIVE! Center.

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