FLM.RED

PHYLLIS
SMITH

ฟิลลิส สมิธ

From casting rooms to the heart of an animated film

The Office actor who gave Sadness her voice.

A path through dance, casting and acting

Phyllis Smith is an American actor whose work spans casting, television and voice performance. A performer with roots in the St. Louis area, she is known for The Office and as the voice of Sadness in Pixar’s Inside Out films.

Smith’s early performing experience included dance. After moving into casting work, she assisted on several television and film projects, giving her a view of performance from the other side of the audition room.

While working on casting for the pilot of the American version of The Office, Smith joined the cast as Phyllis Lapin, later Phyllis Vance. The workplace comedy gave her character room to grow within the ensemble over the series.

In Inside Out (2015), she voiced Sadness, one of the emotions inside Riley’s mind. Smith returned to the role in Inside Out 2 (2024); the character gives the films a gentle voice through which to explore the value of acknowledging difficult feelings.

Her screen work also includes the series The OA. From dance and casting to a long-running comedy and an animated feature, Smith’s career illustrates how different parts of the industry can lead to unexpected roles.