Phyllis Smith

Phyllis Smith (born August 15, 1949) is an esteemed American actress and casting associate. She has attained prominence for her role as Phyllis Vance in the renowned television series The Office and her critically hailed voice role as Sadness in Pixar's animated hit, Inside Out. Besides, she has also made a notable contribution as Betty Broderick-Allen in the critically acclaimed Netflix original series The OA. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Smith had a diversified professional journey leading to acting. In the 1970s and 1980s, she was a dancer, a cheerleader for the St. Louis Cardinals football team, and a burlesque performer. Her dancing career, however, came to a halt due to a severe knee injury. Smith was working as a casting associate under the proficient direction of Allison Jones on the television series The Office when she was offered the role of Phyllis Lapin, tailored specifically for her. Smith's portrayal of a soft-spoken saleswoman, often at odds with the pompous office manager Michael Scott, won her Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2006 as well 2007. Moreover, she played a supportive role in the 2011 film Bad Teacher. In 2015, she voiced the character Sadness in the Pixar film Inside Out, which received high critical praise. Later, she appeared as a regular in the Netflix series The OA.