Georgie Murphy on The Office, Playing a Bride and Getting the Part

Words: Lauren O’Neill | Photography and creative direction: Lewis Vorn | Videographer: Marie Koury | Makeup: Erin Acker | Hair: Beth Rolon | Styling: Zoe Gofman

For our latest cover story, we caught up with the stars of NBC’s Stumble, a new cheerleading mockumentary. Here, we chat with Georgie Murphy, who plays Sally, about playing dying brides, learning from comedic legends, and The Office.

Read our cover story with the cast of Stumble here. 

Polyester: Hey Georgie! I wonder if you could tell me a little bit about your background and your route into acting.

Georgie Murphy: So I was born in a place called Prince Edward Island, Canada, and I was born the youngest of six. Nobody in my family is an actor. I started in theatre when I was eight. I just had a lot of emotional energy that needed to be channelled somewhere. And my parents were like we need to put this child in something that's in the arts. And so I sort of just did theatre throughout my entire childhood.

And then when it came time to go to university, I was like, “I could go to business school or I could study acting.” I was like, “I should probably go to business school. It's probably the safer option.” But then I was definitely lying to myself. So I was like, “Let's go to acting school and let's see how it goes.”

So I went to an acting school in America, and when I finished there, I moved back to Toronto and I started working. Just like taking any jobs that I could get my hands on. For the past four years, I've just been sort of grinding, pounding the pavement and it's been really great. The industry has shifted a lot in the time that I've been in it, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

During that sort of pavement pounding time, have you done anything sort of particularly funny or memorable, in terms of those small jobs that you're taking just to kind of hustle?

I played a bride in a Canadian television show called Murdoch Mysteries. I was 21 at the time - I was very young. I died in the first five minutes. My dad watched and was like “That’s it? That’s it!” That’s all there was. It was just a quick little role. But it was really fun. I had this big dramatic death scene and I love period pieces. That's the only period piece I've ever done.

Let's hope there are some more of those in your future then, because that sounds fun. I want to talk about Stumble specifically, what was your perception of cheer before you came to Stumble? And also just generally, how did you come to the show?

I was a gymnast while I was doing theatre, throughout my childhood. The cheerleaders would also practice in the same gym and I always looked at them and I was like, “They're so cool”. They had their cool outfits and they had this group mentality and it was amazing. Then a couple months ago I got an audition for a role in this show, but it was actually for Peaches.

I watched my tape back and I was like, “That's not gonna be what I do, that's not going to go to me.” I was like, “There’s someone better for this role.” And then five minutes later, actually,an audition comes into my inbox for Sally, and I tape for Sally and I'm like, “Okay, I know this person. I can be this person. This is where I feel comfortable.” And so the next day, I get a call from my manager, and he's like they want to see you for a callback. They want to do it in person, but you can also do it on Zoom. I was like, “Nope, I'm coming. I'll be on the next flight out. I'm coming to L.A.”

So I did my callback in person at NBC Universal Studios in Studio City. And it was crazy like walking into that room and there was a bunch of people that I admired. I felt really out of place. But that's actually kind of crazy because it lent itself very well to my character. She sort of feels out of place and like she doesn't really belong. After that, I did the screen test and then I had the longest week of my life. It was really excruciating waiting to hear back, but I was walking to a Pilates class and I get a call from my manager and he played a voicemail that the casting director had left him. And it was like, “Georgie, you got the job. And I screamed and I cancelled my Pilates class and I went and celebrated.”

Perfect. How did you celebrate?

I called my mom. And I called my dad, and then I took myself out to a really nice dinner.

That's all you need. What has been the best part of being part of this cast? And what has working with Anissa, Taylor and Ariana been like specifically?

I mean it's pretty crazy how well we all kind of fit together. I was really, really nervous to meet them, because it's always the same thing. “Are they going to like me? What are they going to be like?” And the second we met I was just like: “These are my girls.” Honestly, I couldn't picture my life without them. They just lift me up.

That's so nice. For your first time doing this, it must be a very surreal experience, so to have allies it must be very reassuring. How has it been sort of playing such a comedic role?

When I first got into this business, I was like, “I'm a dramatic actress. That's where I'm going to be. And - I actually said this - I said, “I'm never going to be the cheerleader. That's just not who I am. I'm never going to be cast as the cheerleader. Now look!” I played quirkier roles, but little did I know that there was a quirky cheerleader out there and being written and she was going to be mine.

But in terms of comedy, I've always loved to make people laugh. I've done a couple of sitcoms, comedic stuff, but this has really been such a masterclass in comedy. You have people like Taran Killam, Kristen Chenoweth who are like, comedic legends. And I'm always watching them and stealing things from them and just the level of freedom they have is what I'm trying to get to.

Add it to the resume. Finally, I also wondered did you watch any shows or performers in particular to sort of prepare for this role? What has inspired you?

So The Office is my favorite television show. I've watched it the whole way through at least probably like five times. So when I got the callback, I saw that Jeff Blitz was going to be directing it, so went back and watched all his episodes. It’s pretty crazy because I'm working with a lot of the same people that worked on that show.

Some of our camera operators are the same people that worked on The Office, it's insane. I find myself like going back and stealing things from people that I really look up to, like Steve Carell. I really look up to Ellie Kemper. I always have The Office on repeat and I'm like, “Oh, he spoke to the camera here and this moment really was well-suited to this format. I think I'm taking a lot of inspiration from the mockumentaries that came before Stumble.

It's crazy to think that I have been such a super fan, and now I'm working with the same people that did The Office and Jeff Blitz, who has an Emmy for The Office. It's pretty insane, right?