Oscar Nuñez and Kate Flannery, better known for their characters on The Office, walked away with the million-dollar jackpot in the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? season finale.
The two answered every question presented to them, including a brainteaser on ancient Greek terms, as Jimmy Kimmel milked the suspense as only he can.
Instead of pocketing the money from Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, they distributed it to Planned Parenthood and Philabundance, a Philadelphia food pantry, transforming trivia into real-world effect.
As the sitcom sat in the hot seat, the show's famous formula of multiple-choice questions, three lifelines, and ever-rising stakes became a lot more intriguing. Their victory demonstrated that celebrity game evenings are more than simply entertaining; they can also shed light on important issues.
What happened during the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? finale?
The final question tested the celebrities' knowledge of linguistics and ancient history. Kimmel asked the actors about the Greek origins of the word "planet," offering four possible meanings: powerful, immortal, stranger, or wanderer.
Nuñez dramatically lay down on the stage while his partner deliberated.
"I hate this game," the 66-year-old actor joked.
Flannery, 61, weighed each option carefully. The host acknowledged the difficulty, saying all choices seemed reasonable for describing celestial bodies.
"So much wandering. I could make a case for every one of these choices," Kimmel noted.
The correct answer was "wanderer," reflecting how ancient Greeks observed planets moving across the night sky. This astronomical observation led to the term that we still use today. The actors utilized their Phone-A-Friend lifeline effectively by calling Brian Baumgartner, another The Office cast member. This reunion moment added emotional weight to their Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? appearance.
Baumgartner's assistance proved valuable as the trio worked together toward their charitable goal. The collaboration showcased the lasting bonds formed during their time on the hit NBC series.
The impact of The Office stars’ win
Nuñez recently returned to his beloved character Oscar Martinez in The Paper, an Office spinoff. The new mockumentary-style show follows a struggling Midwestern newspaper called The Truth Teller. Co-star Alex Edelman praised Nuñez's mentorship on set.
"He just sort of modeled the behavior really beautifully," Edelman told People Magazine.
The spinoff stars Nuñez, Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, and Gbemisola Ikumelo. Their success builds on the history of office comedy that made The Office a national phenomenon. The million-dollar award provides major funding for two critical organisations. Planned Parenthood offers reproductive health services across the country, whereas Philabundance tackles food hunger in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Celebrity game show performances frequently result in big philanthropic gestures. This triumph highlights how entertainment platforms may have a significant social impact while engaging viewers with known faces and beloved characters.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? airs Sundays at 9/8c on ABC and is available to stream on Hulu.