The Office Star Zach Woods Hopes Fans Can See Gabe’s Vulnerability Through His Villainous Arc – Looper

When Gabe Lewis isn’t trying to uphold Sabre standards, it’s clear that he craves friendship and a sense of belonging. He fiercely (and creepily) fights to maintain his relationship with Erin by cornering her in the women’s restroom, intrudes on “girl talk” with a conversation about Korean soap operas, and hosts a pizza-making party at his home. Zach Woods hopes audiences can look past Gabe’s unlikeable exterior and recognize this sense of vulnerability.

In an interview with UPROXX, he said, “… underneath their prickly porcupine behavior, you can see the soft skin of a sickly rodent or whatever … But I think if people felt some mixture of alienation, understandable alienation, and also some sort of, at least, empathy or understanding for poor Gabe, then I will have done my job.” Woods added that Gabe’s off-putting personality is largely due to his desperation for romance, respect, and other things. “It’s all just like he wants it so bad, he just crushes it in his skeletal hands,” he said.

Woods admitted that he doesn’t read commentary about “The Office,” but he’d be glad to know that he accomplished his goal with Gabe -– many fans dislike him but do feel sorry for him. On Reddit, u/silverlola said they felt empathetic toward Gabe several times, such as when he expresses his excitement over Sticky Quips or plays music for a vomiting Andy.

U/badtickleelmo shared the common belief that “The Office” goes downhill with the introduction of Sabre, but praised Gabe for being a bright spot in these less-loved seasons. For others, like u/Garth-Vader, Gabe’s awkward, lonely nature truly hits home. “I relate to Gabe on a deeply spiritual level,” they wrote.