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Who is Catherine Tate? Why We Think She'd Be Great on 'The Office'
by Chris Harnick, posted May 19th 2011 1:00PM
Chances are, Catherine Tate isn't a household name in your home ... yet.However, reports indicate the English actress is the frontrunner to join NBC's 'The Office' as the new boss.
Tate will make her 'Office' debut on tonight's one-hour season finale (Thurs., May 19, 9PM ET). She's one of many famous faces -- including Ray Romano, Warren Buffett, Jim Carrey, Will Arnett, Ricky Gervais and James Spader -- vying for the job vacated by Steve Carell's Michael Scott.
Yep, that's a lot of big names, so why is Tate right for the job? Simple: She's pretty damn funny.
The star of her own series, 'The Catherine Tate Show,' Tate has won several BAFTAs and was nominated for an International Emmy.
The sketch comedy show, which she co-created, ran for three seasons between 2004-2007. The show and Tate became well-known for several characters including Lauren Cooper, a lazy teen, and Nan, a very foul-mouthed grandmother. Tate even starred as Nan in a 2009 Christmas special. To get a taste of her skills, watch the Lauren Cooper clip below or check out the series, which is available on Netflix.
You're watching Lauren on Beyonce - The Catherine Tate Show - BBC comedy. See the Web's top videos on AOL Video
On her series, Tate proved herself a master of comedy, making her a nice fit at Dunder Mifflin Sabre.
In 2008, Tate endeared herself to millions as Donna Noble, a companion to the Doctor on the wildly popular 'Doctor Who.' The role, a mix of drama and comedy, introduced Tate to a brand new fanbase. Watch a clip of Tate as Donna here:
According to the Hollywood Reporter, producers want Tate for the job, but her prior theater commitment could kill the deal. Tate is set to appear opposite her 'Doctor Who' costar David Tennant in 'Much Ado About Nothing' in London. Although the show is set to close in early September, that would still give her quite a commute to film the first part of the 'Office' season in L.A. this summer.
But out of all the people interviewing for the job, Tate is the most feasible option. Romano has 'Men of a Certain Age,' Arnett's pilot 'Up All Night' has made it to series at NBC, Carrey's busy making movies, Buffett is a gag cameo and Gervais seems unlikely.
Producers are reportedly still considering James Spader, but are looking for the new character to have the same Michael Scott "sweetness," which isn't exactly Spader's M.O.
So that leaves Tate -- a woman, a Brit (where the 'Office' originated, remember) and a relative unknown in the States. Sounds perfect to us!
Tell us: Do you think Catherine Tate is a good fit?
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