A Regular Bloke on His Way Up

Filming for "The Office," a highly regarded mock documentary, began in 2001. The understated comedy, which subtly captures the misery of having to work for and with stupid and unbearable people, became a surprise hit in the U.K. and gained a cult following here in the United States. (An American adaptation airs on NBC on Tuesday nights.)

"It's a funny thing, 'The Office,' because millions and millions and millions and millions of people didn't watch it," says Freeman. "But culturally, it is more of a phenomenon than almost anything else I can remember as far as British television is concerned."

Part of what made the original "Office" so compelling was the undiluted unpleasantness of its characters. "I think it had a bit more guts than other shows that have gone into that format," says Freeman. "It was more uncomfortable to watch than a lot of things on television are."

Perhaps the most sympathetic character on the show, Tim is smart enough to perceive the hideousness of his workplace, but he lacks the gumption to find a way out. He is, in effect, a likable loser.

"Let's face it," says Freeman. "Everyone wants to sort of look after somebody, and I think he was one of those people who women, if they didn't outright want to [sleep with] him, they wanted to look after him or coddle him, or something ."

Part of what made Tim so appealing was his long-held and seemingly hopeless infatuation with the office receptionist, Dawn (Lucy Davis). Their romance turned Tim into an unlikely heartthrob and quickly spiraled into this millennium's version of the Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy mania spawned by the 1995 BBC "Pride and Prejudice" miniseries. "People talk about Tim and Dawn like one of the great love stories of our time," says Freeman.

The success of "The Office" has brought Freeman more scripts and more attention, but there's also a downside to playing such a beloved, indelible character. Not long ago, a British newspaper described Freeman's character in a historical miniseries about King Charles II as "Tim in a wig."

If you ever run into Freeman, don't mention that particular quip.

He lets loose a string of expletives. "We are what we are," he says. "I don't believe in any of the myth that you metamorphose into something else. No you don't. You are you with a different [expletive] frock on, with different lines, pretending for eight hours a day. That is it. "

Since filming the first season of "The Office," Freeman appeared as a doofus B-boy in the movie "Ali G Indahouse" and portrayed yet another regular guy in the British ensemble comedy "Love Actually." In the latter, he played a stand-in for porn movies and performed virtually all his scenes nude.

"It's hard to be naked in front of 150 people. It's not in any way pleasant," he says. "As a man it gives you a kind of window of what quite a lot of jobs are like for quite a lot of women."

He still lives in London with his girlfriend, Amanda Abbington, who is an actress, and Archie the dachshund. Upcoming projects include a new play at London's Soho Theatre. He also plays a leading role in a comedy series, "The Robinsons," that will soon air on the BBC.

"I'm attracted to parts where people have to struggle a bit or parts where people are flawed or parts where people don't get their own way. It's just way more interesting. Because there's something to play against, something to overcome," says Freeman.

"I can't imagine ever wanting to do a part where I lounge around on a yacht with a cocktail in my hand -- unless something [expletive] horrible happens to me in the second scene."