Rainn Wilson, one of the stars of The Office, has suggested that he might quit acting for a completely new role as a ‘death doula’.
Speaking on Late Night with Seth Meyers this week, Wilson revealed that he’s thought about leaving the acting trade behind him for a completely leftfield career turn.
For those who don’t know, a death doula is someone who helps people to be comfortable when they are dying, much like a regular doula does for mothers during their birth.
Imagine that, Dwight Schrute at your deathbed - it doesn’t get much stranger than that.
Rainn Wilson is deadly serious about this career change
The 59-year-old appeared on the late-night show on Wednesday, revealing his bizarre - yet somehow admirable - potential career shift.
He explained: “Well, as my celebrity star is fading – and it’s fine – I may put acting behind me,
“And there’s this beautiful occupation called death doula.”
Wilson is no stranger to the spiritual world - or lending his name to a worthy cause - and hosts a podcast called ‘Soul Boom’ on which he often discusses the topic, as well as his own personal religious views.
He argued that the role isn’t actually that different to the one at birth, just at the opposite end of life.
Wilson explained: “It’s a different kind of birth, right?
“It’s a birth into the next phase of our existence, because I fully believe in the continuation and journey of the human soul beyond the material realm.
“And most world faiths agree.”
He continued: “To be there to usher someone with beauty and respect and dignity from this life to the next, to help the family transition, to understand what kind of legacy you want to have, how you want to celebrate what is kind of a painful transition that is often ignored in Western society.”
There is - he claimed - ‘a lot of hope to give people’ from the death doula profession.
It’s hard to argue.
Could Wilson combine his acting with death doula work?
Meyers went on to say that a death doula could ‘take the fear’ out of dying for some, even providing a ‘calming experience’ for those who are about to take that final leap.
Wilson added: “There’s a lot of meditation you can bring – contemplation is the word I was looking for – that you can bring to the process,
“Celebratory is kind of the wrong word, but how you can create a healing space for you and your family to mourn, to grieve, to celebrate, and to ponder this next mysterious step?”
Meyers then added - and many will agree - that some sort of hybrid working would be the best of both worlds.
The 51-year-old host said: “Well, I would like you to keep doing both,
“I don’t want you to stop one just to work on the other, but I think you’d be very good at both.”
Wilson responded: “Well, thank you so much.”
It remains to be seen whether Wilson will transition into a new career helping people transition into death, but one thing is for sure - he’s definitely given it some proper thought.