Actress Ellie Kemper portrayed Erin Hannon on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Since The Office came out before Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, fans were excited to see Kemper as a new character outside of Erin. And funny enough, they were basically the same character. Viewers found Erin relatable at work, while Kimmy's optimism was inspiring.
The similarities between Erin and Kimmy sparked numerous fan theories online that seems too coincidental not to be true. From their sense of style to their misunderstanding of technology, Kimmy and Erin have a lot in common.
A Similar Sense Of Style
One of the main things Kimmy and Erin share is the same sense of style. Although Kimmy didn't work in an office setting, she still dressed appropriately for a 9-5 job like Erin's.
Erin was one of the more fashionable characters on The Office who loved bright colors, sweaters, and pencil skirts. Kimmy is the same way but opts for colorful pants instead of skirts. And when it comes to hairstyles, Erin and Kimmy share the same. It was typically down with loose curls.
Dancing Outbreaks
When Kimmy got to New York after leaving Indiana, she fell in love with the city's energy and didn't want to leave. Although she didn't have much to her name, she danced and made her way throughout the city. On one of her first nights out, she went to a club where she let all of her dance moves fly.
Ironically, Erin was also a big dancer in the musical moments on The Office. She wanted to dance with Darryl on his last day at work, she danced with Michael in his office, and she danced on the sidewalk when she was hired to be a hipster for the opening of the Sabre store. And with Ellie being the same actress for both characters, they both had the same dance movies.
Titus & Michael As Best Friends
Titus was one of Kimmy's first friends when she got to New York. Titus was not fond of Kimmy at first but he became intrigued by her background and grew attached to her. Soon enough, Titus and Kimmy were friendship goals. They were silly, outlandish, and got into mischief together.
Over on The Office, Erin had a similar friendship with Michael. Like Titus, Michael was also theatrical and quirky. She became Michael's right-hand woman and the two enjoyed helping each other. Although Erin and Kimmy are on two separate shows, they have similar friendships.
The Bunker Is The Orphanage
In Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Kimmy was abducted as a child and spent 15 years in an underground bunker. Her captor told her and the other three women that he was "saving" them from the apocalypse. It wasn't until Kimmy was randomly rescued that she found out it was all a lie.
Similarly, one of the saddest things about The Office's Erin is that she grew up in the foster care system. Just like Kimmy, Erin grew up in a secluded building with other kids her age, which is why she grew up to be so competitive. Both Kimmy and Erin came into their own when they finally became independent without the restrictions of the bunker or orphanage.
Erin And Kimmy Are Outgoing Despite Their Tragedies
Erin was one of the most upbeat and personable workers at Dunder Mifflin. She was always ready to help those in need and make the office fun. Her friends and coworkers would never know that she had such a dark past if she didn't say something.
Likewise, Kimmy is one of the most spunky and outgoing characters in the series. If anyone was supposed to sulk and think about the ups and downs they had in their life, it was Kimmy. Instead of dwelling on the past, however, Kimmy focused on her future.
A Theory About Erin As Kimmy
On Reddit, quotes and personalities being similar, it's a possibility.
The wrote, "The theory is that after [Kimmy's] book began to sell Kimmy decided to leave New York and create a new identity as Kelly/Erin Hannon in Scranton, PA." When the opportunity arose to be called Erin instead of Kelly, she took it because it separated herself even more from the old version of her in Indiana and New York.
Their Mutual Love For Wendy's
In 'Spooked,' Erin is in charge of throwing the office's Halloween party. Everyone dressed in costume for the occasion, including Erin. Erin dressed as Wendy from the fast-food chain, Wendy's. Ironically, Kimmy Schmidt also brought up her and Wendy's likeliness in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
When Kimmy showed up at a house, the staff member described her as Wendy — the woman who sells old-fashioned hamburgers. The connection between both characters and a fast-food icon only further connects the two.
Outlandish Gifts From Partners
After years of dreaming about freedom and dating in the bunker, Kimmy was finally able to date as an adult when she was rescued. One of her first real boyfriends was a wealthy man named Logan Beakman. Logan was quite taken by Kimmy and did grand gestures to show his iration for her, including a dolphin...
Similarly, on The Office, Andy Bernard gave the outlandish 12 Days of Christmas to Erin. However, all of the birds started to hurt Erin and she begged Andy to stop the gift-giving. And while Andy was horrible to Erin towards the end of the series, the two had a good relationship at the start.
Both Are Very Trusting
Considering the tragedies that both Erin and Kimmy have been through, it would be justifiable that they weren't trusting individuals and would prefer spending time alone. But that wasn't the case. Erin and Kimmy were open, honest, and trusting of most people around them.
For Erin, she relied on Michael, Pam, and Andy. For Kimmy, she opened up to Titus, Lillian, and Jacqueline instantly. Although Kimmy didn't share her Mole Woman story until she was fully comfortable, that didn't stop her from trusting them. Kimmy had a lot of quotes throughout Unbreakable that showed how trusting and open she was.
Neither Erin Or Kimmy Understand Technology
Since Kimmy was underground for 15 years, she missed the entire technology era. She didn't know what cellphones were and had no idea how to work a computer. By the end of the series, Kimmy changed a lot from the pilot and quickly grew with the decade she was in.
On The Office, Erin was familiar with technology but that didn't mean she understood it. She thought disposable cameras never got developed and Andy felt Pam was better with the fax machine than Erin. Erin was a smart woman but not great with tech.