“I will be compared,” Felicity Ward on new role as lead comedy character

Comedian and actress Felicity Ward will be drawing on her own ‘annoying personality traits’ to play the first female lead in the Australian version of The Office.

She waited 24 years for this moment, to fill the shoes of one of the world’s most iconic comedy characters.

Comedian and actor Felicity Ward, 44 is following the footsteps of Ricky Gervais and Steve Carell, playing the first female boss in an Australian original of comedy series The Office.

With large shoes to fit, comparisons will be made but Ward is ready to serve an ultimate cringe performance as her character Hannah Howard.

“I will be compared. It will be compared. People will come wanting to love it because it’s part of the Office franchise. People will come not wanting to love it because it’s part of the office franchise. But it’s (new series) really is its own beast.

“The show is so Australian, sort of implicitly rather than being overtly Australian. It’s not a caricature, obviously, but then to watch it, it is absolutely the office. It’s a mockumentary, It’s shaky cameras, it’s small mundane moments in office life that are made into relatable comedy episodes.

Actress Felicity Ward will star in the Australian version of the hit show, The Office. Picture: Supplied

Living the dream being funny for 10 hours straight, for seven weeks, Ward waited 24 years for a role as iconic as Howard.

“I wish I could have told myself 20 years ago that in 2024 you’ll have a really, really great thing happen.

“As soon as I read the script, I knew that I could do it. Not because I’m talented, but because Hannah Howard is just every single one of my most annoying personality traits.

“People ask how do you prepare for the role? But I live it, I am that same person, and all of the annoying things that I do and have done my whole life, she does.

Actress Felicity Ward will star in the Australian version of the hit show, The Office. Picture: Supplied

“I knew exactly what to do with her, and I wasn’t worried about playing her at all, I was just excited.

Having a female boss isn’t the only modernised approach, with working from home conflicts, Artificial Intelligence and other multi-generational concepts included in the show.

The series is now available on Prime Video.