The Office star Rainn Wilson, 57, reveals the ‘painful’ abuse he endured as a child in ‘A House Without Love’ – opening up about his secret battle with depression while filming the hit comedy.

The Office star Rainn Wilson has revealed how the abuse and trauma he experienced during his childhood caused long-term mental health struggles that ultimately affected his career as an actor.

Wilson found worldwide fame as his titular character, Dwight Schrute, on the hit series The Office, over the course of nine seasons from 2005 to 2013.

However, the 57-year-old has since revealed that despite his natural comedic talent which helped him become a millionaire star, he had to undergo 22 years of treatment to repair the damage done to his health during his youth.

Opening up to Stephen Bartlett Diary of the CEO PodcastThe actor said, “I’ve experienced a lot of pain in my life, and a lot of struggles with anxiety, depression and addiction. As I delve into my recovery and the healing process, I can relate this directly to the many huge disruptions and traumas I experienced as a child.

Breakthrough Role: Wilson gained worldwide fame after playing the iconic character Dwight Schrute on the hit series The Office over nine seasons from 2005 to 2013.

“It’s important to dig up and honor the pain we’ve been through, the lies we’ve been told, the illumination we might have been exposed to, the religious traumas too, and all the different kinds of traumas we’ve been through.”

The rock star explained that his mother “passed away” before he was two years old, leaving him to be raised by his father.

After a hasty move to “the Nicaraguan jungle when I was three,” Ryan and his father settled in Washington state just in time for him to start kindergarten.

Wilson revealed that although he grew up with the Baha’i community (which believes in the oneness of mankind, equality and one God), his childhood was devoid of love and filled with “anger” and “bullying”.

After his father remarried, Wilson recalls growing up in a “loveless home” where he faced “a lot of different kinds of abuse”.

He joked, “You abandoned little kid, he’s going to tease you, and there was this weird mind lighting gas.”

He claimed that he was cut off from his affections when he reached his teens Because his father and stepmother did not know how to deal with their feelings and thus failed to teach him how to do so.

Explaining that his father had a traumatic childhood, Wilson states that it left his father unable to raise his son the way he needed to.

Rocky’s relationship: The rock star explained that his mother “left” before he was two years old, leaving him to be raised by his father

Sad time: Wilson revealed his childhood was absent from love, and was instead filled with “anger” and “gaslighting”

He recalls growing up around constant “gaslighting” due to the fact that his father and stepmother would switch from moments of “anger” during arguments to praise and worship within the Bahá’í Faith.

Meg’s actor admitted that his home life eventually led him to turn to acting because he was naturally drawn to an environment where he found “acceptance” and “love” as a result of his natural talent.

Reflecting on the fact that many greats in comedy have also suffered in their pasts, Wilson said, “There’s a reason so many comedians come from traumatic backgrounds because comedy is what you do to shift your perspective away from the pain and trauma just as gratitude does.” “. You are far from depressed.

“You see the great comedians of this era and the amount of suffering they went through in their lives, but comedy became the necessary thing that had to be incorporated into their point of view in order to move forward.”

The star shared his belief that going through a less-than-ideal childhood ultimately provided him with the motivation to succeed in his chosen career.

“That’s the strange thing, and I’m grateful for that, because if I had a happy and balanced childhood, I don’t know what my career would be like,” he explained. “He certainly wouldn’t be a successful actor.”

Struggles: After his father remarried, Wilson recalls growing up in a “loveless home” where he faced “a lot of different kinds of abuse”.

Thinking: the actor had to undergo treatment for 22 years to repair the damage done to his health during his youth

He continued, “These confluences of pain and difficulty, abuse and neglect, caused me so much suffering later but at the same time made me driven and the best version of myself…they made me funny.”

The star struggled with “addiction, depression, and anxiety” in adulthood, and not even the success of “The Office” could help achieve the inner peace he craved.

Just as Dwight Schrute didn’t think being an assistant regional manager was enough, Wilson didn’t think getting a lead role on a hit sitcom was enough.

Finding Focus: The actor admitted that his home life affected his pursuit of acting

“There were times when I really struggled and I wasn’t really happy because it wasn’t enough,” he said.

The actor then admitted realizing he had had the “greatest job” but still “spending a lot of unnecessary time in restless indignation when I should have been enjoying it.”

“It just didn’t make sense because society told me once you achieve all these things, you’ll be happy and that’s bullshit,” Wilson added.

Explaining why he chose to be open about the fact that he wasn’t happy while filming the show, Wilson insisted it was important for listeners to understand that even someone who “made it official” can still be deeply unhappy.

The Seattle native said that at the time he was more a victim of the disease because he focused on what he didn’t have than enjoying his success.

However, he chose to look at the positive, saying, “My chronic dissatisfaction fueled my spiritual drive, my professional drive, my ambition because I wanted more.”

The star also wanted to make it clear that he has nothing but the highest regard for everyone who made The Office a success.

Opening up: The 57-year-old actor revealed he was ‘mostly unhappy’ during filming due to his mental health struggles

He began, “I just want to say how deeply grateful I am, that we all feel, that the office has brought so much serenity, peace, love, upliftment, and inspiration to people.” “Being on a TV show is one of the hardest things in the world.”

He continued, “Then having one last one, then having one last one and it’s good, then having one last one and it’s good and it still has a cultural impact 10 years after it’s over — talk about winning the lottery.” We had no idea it would have this kind of effect.

The Office aired on NBC for nine seasons from 2005 to 2013, and turned the likes of Steve Carell and John Krasinski into household names.

It follows the office life of the Dunder Mifflin employees who work for the fictional Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the paper company.

Wilson’s character Dwight Schrute is not only a paper salesman but also a loyal assistant to Regional Manager Michael Scott (Karel).

SNL alum Greg Daniels adapted the series from the UK version created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, but it’s been given a lighter feel.

It is shot with a single camera in a mockumentary style and features the comedy writing talents of Mindy Kaling, PJ Novak, and Paul Lieberstein.

Celebrity hit: The Office has turned the likes of Steve Carell and John Krasinski into household names. (LR) Karel, Krasinski and Wilson in the office

Fan Favorite: Wilson’s character Dwight Schrute is not only a paper salesman but also a loyal assistant to Regional Manager Michael Scott (Carell).

Wilson, Carell, Krasinski, Novak, and actress Jenna Fischer are billed as the show’s main cast, but it also features performances by Kaling, Lieberstein, Ellie Kemper, Ed Helms, and Angela Kinsey, among others.

The series finale, which received critical acclaim, aired on May 16, 2013 and was watched by an estimated 5.69 million viewers.

Despite going off the air a decade ago, The Office was the most-watched show on Netflix during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

It has generated a total of 57.1 billion viewing minutes, making it the most-streamed show in the United States, according to Nielsen.

But she moved exclusively to NBC streaming service Peacock in January 2021, with the licensing deal costing $500 million.