Jenna Fischer Was Originally Cast as Matt LeBlanc’s TV Wife on ‘Man With a Plan’

What happened to the mom on Man With a Plan? CBS’ newest sitcom — featuring Friends alum Matt LeBlanc — just returned for its second season, and fans are wondering what was the major cast change that happened before the show officially kicked off. Keep reading below to find out more about the Man With a Plan cast changes!

Man With a Plan is a new show about a dad named Adam Burns — played by Matt — who realizes that parenting is a whole lot harder than he thought after he becomes a stay-at-home dad so that his wife Andi can go back to work as a medical lab technician. But just like in CBS’ other hit sitcom Kevin Can Wait, there was a huge cast shakeup in the role of the wife.

Matt LeBlanc and Liza Snyder on set of Man With a Plan.

Jenna Fischer — who is best known as Pam Beesley on the hit NBC series The Office — was originally cast in the role as Matt’s on-screen wife Andi and she was part of the cast when CBS ordered the first season of the series last year. But Jenna was replaced by Yes, Dear alum Liza Snyder before the series started filming for Season 1 and Glenn Geller — the former CBS entertainment president — revealed the reason why during the upfronts last year.

“Look, recasting on pilots happens all the time. She is a phenomenal actress. It just wasn’t the right actress for the right role, ultimately, when we saw the pilot,” Glenn told The Wrap last May, and said their decision to recast was because of Jenna and Matt’s on-screen chemistry. “It was fine, we think we can do better in terms of the chemistry between the two of them.”

Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesley on The Office.

As for Jenna, it seems like she took the news well. In a recent interview with Parade to promote her new book The Actor’s Life: A Survival Guide, she even revealed that she is currently working on a new show with a better-fitting role.

“I’m about to do this new TV show for ABC called Splitting Up Together,” she announced.”My character [Lena] is an expression of the Type A part of my personality, the list-maker, the person who likes to be in charge, and finding the comedy in that part of myself. Very different from Pam, but still very much me.”