Phyllis Smith is an American actress best known for playing the warm, soft-spoken sales representative Phyllis Vance in the hit sitcom The Office, a role that made her one of the most recognisable faces on television and earned her a devoted following. With her impeccable comic timing and her gift for playing characters who are both hilarious and deeply human, she has built a career that spans television, film and voice acting, and she has become known as much for her warmth off screen as for her comedy on it.
| Full Name | Phyllis Smith |
| Date of Birth | July 10, 1951 |
| Age | 75 years old (as of November 2026) |
| Birthplace | Lemont, Illinois, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Profession | Actress |
| Known For | The Office, Inside Out, The OA |
| Net Worth | Approx. $7 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2025) |
Who Is Phyllis Smith?
Phyllis Smith is an actress who became a star playing a character who is, in many ways, her opposite. As Phyllis Vance in The Office, she played a sales representative who is warm, soft-spoken and deeply kind, a character who is both hilarious and, underneath it all, deeply human. Smith’s performance, precise, funny and surprisingly tender, earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the show’s ensemble and made Phyllis one of the most quoted characters in television comedy.
After The Office, Smith voiced the character of Sadness in the animated film Inside Out in 2015, a performance that earned her widespread praise and an Annie Award nomination, and she returned to the role in Inside Out 2 in 2024. She also appeared in the films Bad Teacher in 2011 and The Happytime Murders in 2018, and on television in The OA, Arrested Development and Young Sheldon.
Early Life & Background
Phyllis Smith was born on July 10, 1951, in Lemont, Illinois, the daughter of a teacher father, and she grew up in the Chicago suburbs, where she attended Lemont High School. She attended the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where she studied theatre, and then moved to St. Louis, where she began acting in theatre and in improv comedy.
After moving to St. Louis, Smith performed with the comedy troupe The Second City, where she appeared in shows with other comedians, and she began appearing in small roles on television, including on the series Malcolm in the Middle and That ’70s Show, and in commercials and in improv comedy. She also worked as a casting associate for The Office, where she was discovered by the show’s producers and cast as Phyllis Vance.
Smith keeps her personal life private, and she lives in Los Angeles. She is known for her love of comedy and for her work with The Second City, which she credits with helping her develop her comic timing.
Career
Smith’s breakthrough came with The Office in 2005, in which she played Phyllis Vance for nine seasons, opposite Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute. The show became one of the most successful sitcoms of all time, and Smith’s performance was praised for its humour and its heart, and for the way she made Phyllis’s journey, from a soft-spoken sales representative to a happily married woman, feel real.
After The Office ended in 2013, Smith voiced Sadness in Inside Out and Inside Out 2, and she appeared in the films Bad Teacher and The Happytime Murders, and on television in The OA, Arrested Development and Young Sheldon. She continues to act in television and film.
Like fellow Office star Jenna Fischer, Smith is known for a defining role in The Office, and for the warmth and humour she brings to every performance. She continues to act, and she remains one of the most beloved comedy stars in Hollywood.
Facts About Phyllis Smith
- Phyllis Smith played Phyllis Vance in The Office for nine seasons, from 2005 to 2013.
- She voiced Sadness in the animated films Inside Out and Inside Out 2.
- She worked as a casting associate for The Office before being cast as Phyllis Vance.
- She was born in Lemont, Illinois, and studied theatre at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
- She appeared on television in The OA, Arrested Development and Young Sheldon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Phyllis Smith?
Phyllis Smith was born on July 10, 1951, which makes her 75 years old as of November 2026.
How tall is Phyllis Smith?
Phyllis Smith is 5 feet 6 inches tall (1.68 metres).
What is Phyllis Smith’s net worth?
Phyllis Smith’s net worth is estimated at approximately $7 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth in 2025.
What is Phyllis Smith best known for?
Phyllis Smith is best known for playing Phyllis Vance in The Office and for voicing Sadness in Inside Out.