Rashida Jones discussed her short-lived character, Karen Filippelli, in the third season of The Office.
In a recent podcast episode of the Good Hang, the Silo star revealed her true feelings about her brief stint.
"I had done a year on The Office and they let me go, which made sense. It made sense," Jones told host Amy Poehler.
Jones' character, Karen, was an employee at the rival Dunder Mifflin Stamford branch and competed with Jenna Fischer’s Pam for the affection of John Krasinski's Jim.
Karen first appeared on the debut episode of the third season. Jim has just transferred from the show's central location, the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch, to the Stamford branch.
The two initially have feelings for each other which develop into a relationship that nearly takes off, until Jim unceremoniously breaks up with her in the season's final episode.
Noting the challenge The Grinch actress faced in show, Poehler said, "You had such a tough job there, because everybody wanted Jim and Pam, and then guess who shows up? A very likable, cool... and everyone was like, 'Oh no, wait.'"
However, Jones interrupted saying, "It did not feel that way. People did not like me. Like, fans were not about it."
Jones shared that she now has understood that her character was their to "create tension for the relationship" between Jim and Pam "to be earned later."
"So, I was the third point in the triangle. It's fine. I accept it," she added.
After season three, Jones returned as Karen for two episodes of season 4, one episode of season 5, and made a final cameo appearance on the season 7 episode Threat Level Midnight.
