Phyllis Smith, born in Lemay, Missouri, on July 10, 1951, is an American actress and voice actress. Before embarking on her acting career later in life, she worked for many years as a dancer, burlesque performer, and subsequently, as a casting director in Hollywood. Her big break came while working as a casting associate for the television series *The Office* (2005-2013), when the producers, impressed by her personality, created the character of Phyllis Lapin Vance specifically for her. For this role, she shared two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series with the rest of the cast. Another of her most successful roles was as a voice actress in the Pixar animated film *Inside Out* (2015) and its sequel, in which she voiced the character of Sadness. Her acclaimed performance earned her an Annie Award for Voice Acting. Her career also includes a significant role in the Netflix series *The OA* (2016-2019) and appearances in films such as *Bad Teacher* (2011).