Stephen Root Has a Box of Staplers Waiting for His Signature on Every Film and TV Project Thanks to ‘Office Space’

Without fail, there is a box of staplers waiting for Stephen Root to sign on every film and television project he does thanks to his iconic Office Space character, Milton Waddams.

The versatile actor, who currently stars in HBO’s dark comedy Barry, recently dropped by The Rich Eisen Show, where he was asked about his time on the 1999 Mike Judge cult classic in which he stole the show.

“Now, at this point in my career, there isn’t a set that I don’t go onto that doesn’t have a box of staplers for me to sign for the crew,” Root told Eisen, adding he has signed countless staplers for fans. “It doesn’t matter what I have done in my career; whenever someone stops me in the street, it’s Office Space.”

In the Judge comedy about the monotonous lives of some pals who work for a software company, Root plays fan-favorite Milton, a meek, awkward man who is mostly walked all over by staff and brass. Milton’s sole bright spot in his job (and maybe even life) is his red Swingline stapler, which is taken from him by boss Bill Lumbergh (Gary Cole).

Root explained that there were four staplers used in the film, two of which were destroyed. Judge and Root have the other two screen-used devices. “I have one, on top of a butter dish, on top of my TV,” Root noted.

Watch the Root interview section below.

Season three of Barry premieres Sunday night on HBO.