Here’s Why Oscar Nuñez Was the Lone ‘The Office’ Star to Return for the Show’s Spinoff
Oscar Nuñez is back in the world of mockumentary comedy as he reprises his role as Oscar Martínez in the new series The Paper.
The show features a fresh cast including Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Melvin Gregg, and Ramona Young.
Behind the camera, the same documentary crew that filmed at Dunder Mifflin in The Office is now following a new story: the struggles of a historic newspaper trying to find its place in modern Toledo, Ohio.
At the Los Angeles premiere on Wednesday, The Paper creators Greg Daniels and Michael Koman explained why they decided to bring Nuñez back.
Daniels told The Hollywood Reporter, “He’s fabulous, he’s hilarious. Also if you look at the finale of The Office, the characters have a lot of wrap up and they were mostly going in different directions, leaving Dunder Mifflin; Oscar was kind of the same as he was in the beginning when he was still there, so it made sense.”
Koman added, “Oscar’s just really funny and I love him, and I thought he works really well because he blends in to almost any ensemble. He makes the show funnier. And after The Office, his story was a little more open-ended. So it made sense to bring him back because it felt like there was more story there.”
Despite Nuñez’s return, fans shouldn’t expect to see many other The Office stars on the show. Daniels explained, “Most of the cast, their stories had closure and I don’t think they really want to open them up again just to guest on another show. It was very important for me to create a show that would stand on its own and make its own name for itself and not need guest stars from the old show every week to get [people to] tune in.”
Nuñez himself said returning was a slow process that involved many conversations with Daniels. He joked about how his former co-stars feel about his return: “They’re doing OK, no one’s starving. I think they’re happy for me.”
Several former The Office stars attended the premiere, including Ellie Kemper, Paul Lieberstein, Creed Bratton, and Kate Flannery. Kemper, who is married to Koman, admitted she was initially jealous of Nuñez’s return.
“I didn’t want to speak to him ever again. I was like ‘Why does he get to share in a joyous second iteration?’” But after seeing the first episode, she said, “He’s just fantastic.”
The Paper is set to premiere on Peacock on September 4, 2025. The series follows the Toledo Truth-Teller, a struggling newspaper trying to rebuild with volunteer reporters. Nuñez’s Oscar Martínez is the only character carried over from The Office, serving as a link between the old series and this new story.
Hot off the press 🤌#ThePaper arrives September 4 on Peacock. pic.twitter.com/l2Gb9MjNKb
— Peacock (@peacock) August 7, 2025
In my opinion, bringing back Oscar is a smart move. He provides continuity for longtime fans while letting the new show develop its own story. How do you feel about Nuñez returning? Do you think it’s the right choice, or would you have liked to see other characters as well? Share your thoughts in the comments.