Some people are simply “gifted” in their craft.  There’s no other way to describe them.

Nora Kirkpatrick is one of those people.

Enter The Office

I recently spoke with Kirkpatrick about her role in the last season of The Office, on which she plays Dwight’s new love interest, Esther.

Kirkpatrick told me she found out about the job through her agent and thought the addition of the character was a twist in the series to perhaps provide a bit of tension between Dwight and Angela on the remaining episodes.

But when the series ends, Kirkpatrick’s not holding her breath waiting on a follow-up show.  Her date book is full.

Sexy, Evil Genius

She can be seen most recently in the video-on-demand dark comedy Sexy, Evil Genius, starring Seth Green, Michelle Trachtenberg, Anthony Michael Hall, and William Baldwin.

Kirkpatrick told me the project was “all shot like a play, with really long takes.  And it all took place in one location.  It was kind of a psychological film.”

Happy Place

She also co-wrote and starred in the short Happy Place, for which she had the opportunity to write a lot of the music.

Besides being a great actress, Kirkpatrick is also quite an accomplished musician.

Taking the Show on the Road

Nora is a member of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Their next album, which is currently untitled, is set for a July release date.  This is Kirkpatrick’s fifth year with the band, which she joined during the recording of the first album.  The band will be playing the Hollywood Bowl on August 4.

Additional tour dates (throughout the US, Canada, and Europe) may be found at edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com.

Playing Favorites

With so many projects in the works, I was curious to know if Kirkpatrick had a favorite medium in which she liked to work.  She told me she didn’t think she had a favorite and that she didn’t like to limit herself to just one project.  Instead, she likes to see where each leads.

The Office finale airs May 16 on NBC.

Cheryl has been a freelance TV/film writer for more than 10 years. Simultaneously, she has worked in PR for Bon Jovi Productions in NYC, PolyGram Records (also in NYC), and Rogers & Cowan Public Relations. Cheryl has published articles at suite101.com, “Sci-Fi Entertainment” magazine, and “Soap Opera Weekly.” She was also a credited researcher for English author Denis Meikle’s JOHNNY DEPP: A KIND OF ILLUSION. Cheryl enjoys writing for the entertainment industry and meeting new people. She is also an animal lover.