Rainn Wilson lives his dream on TV and film

updated 5:27 p.m. ET March 26, 2007

LOS ANGELES - His work as a mortician’s apprentice got him noticed. His turn as eccentric paper salesman Dwight Schrute made him famous.

Now producers can’t seem to get enough of actor Rainn Wilson. A star of NBC’s Emmy-winning comedy “The Office,” and an alumnus of HBO’s hit drama “Six Feet Under,” Wilson is being offered roles for the first time in his 14-year career. And whenever “The Office” goes on hiatus, he takes them.

The latest such role is as a disarmingly normal science teacher in the family film “The Last Mimzy,” which opens Friday.

He’ll be back to weird in “Bonzai Shadowhands,” a movie he wrote. Several other films are in line behind that one.

It’s a dream life for the Seattle native, who used to do odd jobs to supplement his acting career. Wilson, 41, talked with The Associated Press about what’s next.

AP: How has “The Office” changed your life?

Wilson: I get recognized a lot. When you’re an actor on a TV show that people love, and you play kind of a goofball, they instantly think that they’re your best friend. I’m there with my wife and kid and they’re wanting to engage in having a buddy-buddy conversation. I try to be nice and grateful to my fans — my billions and billions of fans. But at the same time I like to keep my privacy going a little bit.

AP: What is it about the show that has connected with so many people?

Slide show   10 films for spring Shrek, Captain Jack and flesh-eating zombies return for more adventures.

Wilson: No matter how absurd the humor gets, it’s believable and grounded and people identify with the characters. They’ve just kind of fallen in love with the world and the characters. Our show is really like appointment television. Of the 10 million people who watch our show, a very large percentage tune in every week and have to see every show to find out what’s going to happen next.

AP: “Six Feet Under” was like that, too.

Wilson: I’ve been so lucky. There’s been so much kind of dreck on television and I have been on two of the greatest shows.

AP: How did you get involved with “The Last Mimzy”?

Wilson: (Director) Bob Shaye sent me the script and offered me the role. For an actor who’s been struggling for 13 or 14 years professionally to all the sudden be getting scripts sent, it’s insane. I read it and I was deeply and genuinely moved by it.

AP: Plus you get a chance to play a normal, hippie teacher.

Wilson: There’s a particular brand of West Coast — and particularly the Pacific Northwest — of hippie type of character. I call them the healthy hippies. Hippies you always think of as kind of unwashed and really drugged out. But the healthy hippies, they go to the organic bakery in the morning and they have a latte and a bran muffin. Then they have their kayaking lesson and you know, their Birkenstocks, maybe an earring to be a little bit rebellious. And maybe they’ve got a band or they’re going to Burning Man. And they have a day job that’s pretty normal. But they’re not hippies per se. They’re just outdoorsy, alternative livers. That’s what I tried to tap into.

MORE FROM MORE NEWS AND OTHER FEATURES

Vampires suck up People’s Choice nominations

Vampires suck up People’s Choice nominations Ten alien abductions, from ‘V’ to ‘X-Files’ Move over, Edward — it’s Jacob’s turn to shine Christmas comes early: ‘Carol’ tops box office Jim Carrey’s Scrooge rings in holiday season Natalie Portman gets racy in new films Carrey, computers bring new life to Scrooge Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin to co-host Oscars Could Jackson’s ‘This Is It’ win an Oscar? Fans say Jackson delivers on ‘This Is It’   Add More news and other features headlines to your news reader: