Trivia

Is best friends with The Office (2005) co-star Angela Kinsey and is godmother to Kinsey's daughter, Isabel.

Worked as a receptionist in various offices. Types 85 wpm with 90% accuracy.

Fractured her back in four places after falling down a set of stairs at the NYC bar Buddakan on May 15, 2007.

Took her first acting class with Sean Gunn (who stars as Kirk on WB's Gilmore Girls (2000)) at the age of six in St. Louis, Missouri. The class was taught by her mother, Anne Fischer. Jenna and Sean stayed in touch over the years and in October 2000 she married his brother, writer/director James Gunn. The two are now divorced.

Auditioned for the role of Sydney Bristow in Alias (2001) but was never called back. She later said, "They said they liked my acting, but I wasn't hot enough.".

Considered becoming a veterinarian because of her love for animals but ultimately opted for working with Kitten Rescue and being the proud owner of a dog and a cat (Andy, featured prominently with Jenna in 2006 issue of People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful).

Was diagnosed with Stage I triple-positive breast cancer in October 2023 and kept it quiet to the public while getting treatment. After the surgical removal of the tumor, 12 rounds of chemotherapy, and 3 weeks of radiation therapy, she was been deemed cancer-free when she had announced she had the cancer in October 2024 on her podcast Office Ladies.

Originally enrolled at Truman State University as a pre-law student; later changed her major to theatre.

Before becoming an actress, Jenna worked for 3 years at a car wash and also briefly tried her hand at being a telephone psychic when she first moved to L.A.

She confirmed in an interview that she was fired after appearing in the series pilot of Man with a Plan (2016) playing the wife of Matt LeBlanc's character. She said that the preview audience couldn't believe that "Pam" was married to "Joey", referring to their most famous characters from other shows. The role was recast and Liza Snyder got the part.

Gave birth to her 1st child at age 37, a son Weston Lee Kirk on September 24, 2011. Child's father is her 2nd husband, Lee Kirk.

Gave birth to her second child at age 40, daughter Harper Marie Kirk, on May 25, 2014. Child's father is her second husband, Lee Kirk.

Purchased a $1.9m luxury home in the Glendale area of L.A., an estate that had once belonged to legendary baseball player, coach, and manager Casey Stengel. (2012)

Was #37 in People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful list, 2006 issue.

Graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri.

She and her ex-husband James Gunn remain close friends.

Went to Nerinx Hall High School, an all-girls Catholic high school in Webster Groves, Missouri. Another alumnus is Marsha Mason.

Mother Anne Fischer and younger sister Emily Fischer are both elementary school teachers.

Along with her co-stars Owen Wilson, Christina Applegate and Alyssa Milano, Fischer is one of 4 actors from the film Hall Pass (2011) to become a first-time parent the same year the film was released.

First met ex-husband James Gunn at a script reading for The Specials (2000), which he wrote.

Has one sibling, Emily Fischer, her younger sister.

Got engaged to Lee Kirk on June 30, 2009.

Daughter of Anne Fischer.

Former sister-in-law of Brian Gunn, Matt Gunn, Patrick Gunn and Sean Gunn.

During her first audition for The Office, Greg Daniels interviewed her in character as Pam Beesly and initially thought she might actually be a receptionist rather than an actress.

Her first professional acting experience was in a sex-education film made for mental-health patients.

Before becoming successful as an actress, she seriously considered becoming a veterinary technician after becoming frustrated with her early acting career.

For Pam's audition, casting director Allison Jones told Fischer to "dare to bore" the producers rather than try to make herself look attractive or particularly funny.