Phyllis Smith

Phyllis Smith is best known as gentle saleswoman, Phyllis Lapin, on NBC’s long-running U.S. series remake of The Office (2005-2013), but as early as 2006, Smith was cast in feature roles—first, in director/writer/star Jeff Garlin’s indie comedy, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With, co-starring Sarah Silverman, Bonnie Hunt, and David Pasquesi, and released by IFC Films.

Smith landed a supporting role in the Jake Kasdan-directed comedy, Bad Teacher (2011), starring Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Lucy Punch, John Michael Higgins, and Jason Segel, earning ten times $20 million costs ($216 million globally) for Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Releasing.

Smith joined the cast of another comedy, Butter (2011), with Jennifer Garner, Ty Burrell, Olivia Wilde, Rob Corddry, Ashley Greene, Alicia Silverstone, and Hugh Jackman under Jim Field Smith’s direction, and which premiered at the Telluride film festival before a limited release by The Weinstein Company/RADIUS to very little business ($175,706 box office).

Smith did her first voice role in the hit animated jukebox musical sequel, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011), starring the voices of Jason Lee, David Cross, Jenny Slate, Justin Long, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris, and Christina Applegate under Mike Mitchell’s direction, and grossing a knockout $342.7 million (on $80 million costs) for 20^th Century Fox.

Phyllis Smith won an Annie Award for best voice acting for her acclaimed role as Sadness in Disney/Pixar’s hit animated feature, Inside/Out (2015), co-starring with Amy Poehler, and with Richard Kind, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Diane Lane, and Kyle MacLachlan, grossing a triumphant $859 million globally for Walt Disney Studios.

Smith took on a supporting role in the critically acclaimed box-office dud, Bard and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021), directed by Josh Greenbaum and starring Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumulo, Jamie Dornan, and Damon Wayans Jr., and grossing less than $40,000 in theatrical release from Lionsgate.

Smith revived her Sadness role in the long-awaited animated sequel, Inside Out 2 (2024), directed by Kelsey Mann and with the original lead cast returning with new cast members Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri, Adele Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, and Kensington Tallman, and released wide by Disney.