Sabrina Impacciatore may be one of the biggest scene-stealers on The Paper, but even she apparently reached a point where she wondered whether one particularly wild Season 2 scene would also steal her job.
The actress, who plays the wonderfully chaotic Esmeralda Grand, has revealed that she was genuinely convinced she might be fired while filming the daring sequence. Instead of getting a Hollywood-style “thank you for your service” goodbye, however, Impacciatore survived the madness and came out of it feeling like a stronger actress.
Sabrina Thought the Scene Had Gone Too Far
In the scene, Esmeralda goes undercover at her son’s middle school as part of a mission to investigate social issues. The transformation required heavy makeup and a disguise, leaving Impacciatore nervous about whether the performance would actually work.
For an actress already known for throwing herself completely into Esmeralda’s unpredictable personality, this was apparently the moment when even she looked at the situation and thought, “Wait… am I about to lose my job?” The pressure was made worse by the challenge of making the comedy land while dealing with themes surrounding identity and prejudice.
From “Please Don’t Fire Me” to Career Highlight
Rather than becoming the scene that ended her The Paper journey, the experience became another opportunity for Impacciatore to push herself creatively. The actress has spoken about how the show’s improvisational approach allows performers to experiment, with the creators encouraging actors to work toward both story and realism.
And judging by the response to Season 2, Esmeralda is certainly not disappearing quietly. Critics have highlighted Impacciatore as one of the season’s standout performers, with some of the show’s biggest laughs coming from her character.
So, what Sabrina apparently feared would be her final day at The Paper turned into another reminder that sometimes the scene you are most terrified to film can become the one people remember. Hollywood lesson of the day: before assuming you are fired, at least wait until someone actually says, “Pack your bags.”
As The Paper continues its second-season run, fans can expect more newsroom chaos, questionable decisions and Esmeralda Grand doing what Esmeralda Grand does best—turning ordinary situations into full-blown entertainment.
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