John Krasinski

From TV's "The Office," he's now headed to the big screen.

By Kevin Maynard

John Krasinski is very apologetic for rescheduling this interview multiple times. But you can't blame him, really; his dance card's been pretty full. Having wrapped Season 3 of "The Office," the 27-year-old lanky charmer is in his first starring movie role as a hapless groom in the new "License to Wed," opposite Mandy Moore and Robin Williams. He also recently wrote, directed and acted in an indie film, "Brief Interviews With Hideous Men," an adaptation of David Foster Wallace's short stories. And he's calling from North Carolina, where he's shooting "Leatherheads," a '20s football romantic comedy with George Clooney and Renee Zellweger due this winter. Whew.

He even opened up about his personal life to a total stranger. What's not to like?

So, how's "Leatherheads" coming along?
Shooting with George and Renee is OK, I guess. [Laughs.] It's been a total blast, but also pretty intimidating.

Plus, George has won Sexiest Man Alive from "People" magazine multiple times.
I know, it's just hard to be around him. I personally love spending time with the crew, and he's got them wrapped around his finger. And then you try to tell them a joke and be endearing -- he's got that cornered.

How was it working with Robin?
I actually wrote him a fan letter when I was 12. He wrote me back and sent me a Good Morning, Vietnam head shot, which I still have to this day. I said, "That wasn't you who signed it, was it?" And he said, "Nah!"

Do you see yourself as marriage material?
Yeah, definitely. In fact, I'm not very good at the dating thing. I'm a big relationship guy. I'm either in one or not. But I hate the term serial monogamist. It sounds so negative. Like you take a date out to dinner and a movie and then you kill them.

Your movie's opening a week after "Evan Almighty." Do you think you can take Office-mate Steve Carell at the box office?
I'll be surprised if "Evan Almighty" is around the week after, to be honest. [Laughs.]

On "The Office," Jim and Pam are together. Congratulations!
Thanks! But I have to say I do think Karen [Rashida Jones] really became more than a device. She was a full-fledged, likable, three-dimensional character and also gave some perspective to Jim and Pam.

You dated Rashida for a while, right?
We dated on and off for a few months. And we've been friends for a long time since. It was totally happenstance [that she ended up on the show].

Are you always friends with your exes?
No, not at all! On the scale of a Hollywood single guy, I have an uncool number of exes. It's very low. It's very hard to share two lives and make it work all the time.

What was your best on-screen kiss?
I think I'd have to go with Jenna [Fischer, who plays Pam] because of the buildup.

Any unrequited loves in your life, ones that got away?
Being a relationship guy, I have had times where really good friends of mine and I hit it off, but they're always dating someone when I'm single and vice versa. And that has happened several times.

Are you dating anyone right now?
No, I'm single. You know that moment when you're talking to someone, and you realize it could be a possible dating situation? Like, you get beyond the general conversation, and there's some sort of potential in the air? That's when everything goes wrong for me. [Laughs.]

"People" say you're dating Renee Zellweger.
No, we are not dating! We are definitely not dating. We went to a David Sedaris reading with the whole wardrobe department, and somehow a photo of that was floating around with only the two of us. Luckily, Renee is so cool and so used to it. She said, "Oh yeah, don't worry, you'll be my new boyfriend starting Monday." I'm actually dating George [Clooney]. If you're gonna spread the rumor, at least get it right, people.