Creep Star Mark Duplass is the Michael Scott of Horror – Wicked Horror

Mark Duplass of Creep and Michael Scott of The Office share a LOT of uncomfortable similarities …

Kara Gray Ramirez explains how Creep’s Mark Duplass is the horror equivalent of Michael Scott from The Office!

Mark Duplass is generally known for his comedic acting roles, so when he was cast as an unpredictable weirdo in Patrick Brice’s directorial debut‘Creep’in 2014, audiences were curious to see how it would play out. Brice himself plays Aaron Franklin alongside Duplass, as a videographer looking to make a quick thousand bucks. Duplass is the strange man named Josef (akaPeachfuzz)who hired him to film a day in his life for his unborn child “Buddy” before he dies from a brain tumor; all of which is completely fabricated to get Aaron to trust him.

As Aaron films, Josef exhibits increasingly concerning behavior with constant white lies, jump scares, cringe song and dance numbers, a very peculiar wolf mask and oversharing disturbing details about his personal life. He tries uncomfortably hard to impress Aaron and win his attention and friendship. I recall my dadcringing at Duplass and his charactersaying to me upon our initial viewing:“Man, heis so tough to watch and so awkward. He is like the Michael Scott of horror.” This comparison could not be more dead on to what makes Duplass so deeply unsettling in this role, and that is what makes his character seem so familiar.I don’t recall another character making me feelthat uncomfortablesince the‘Scott’s Tots’episode of ‘The Office.’

Like Michael Scott (Steve Carrell) of‘The Office’Josefuses a very cartoonish and theatrical approach to gain attention, while rarely considering the feelings of anyone else.Whenhefirst revealed the strange wolf mask he apparently keeps in his closet, he transforms into the persona “Peachfuzz.” Watching his ‘wolf’ performance ispeak cringe, yet you find yourself captivated by his lack of awareness.Their desperate and constant need for personal connection outweighs any social boundaries with a complete lack of tact and consideration for others.

The main difference that separates the characters is their intent. Michael Scott is searching for actual love and friendship, and is generally quite naïve to his blunders, whilePeachfuzzplays coy to gain trust through the guise of friendship,when he is looking simply for control and violence. When it becomes clear he is a serial killer and hasvideotaped all of his victims, audiences crossed their fingersand hopedwe would get to see more of his awkwardblundersand violent encountersin a sequel.

Luckily ‘Creep’ was very successful and spawned a sequel‘Creep 2’in 2017, and a show‘The Creep Tapes’on Shudder in 2024,with each episode a ‘videotape’ focusing on a different victim and the insane theatricsMark Duplassputs them through before ending their life for his amusement. The show works beautifully because it turns uptheantics to a new high and the viewer reachesmaximumsecond-hand embarrassment within 19-27 minutes.It is satisfying to see Patrick Bricerevealthecontents of thecabinet full of snuffmoviesshownin the first film.Each episode isa flavor of the week victim that Duplass plays cat and mouse with in absurd fashion.One of the very firstepisodes is deeply Michael Scott coded asPeachfuzzintentionally orchestrates an encounter with a victim by fallingdramaticallyfrom a parachute.This episode is reminiscent ofthe Season 3‘Safety Training’episode of‘The Office’where Michael fakes a suicide attemptto illustrate the “dangers of office depression,”andthreatens tojump from the office buildingto make a point in a debatewith his employees.Major, theatrical events are made out of minor happeningswith these characters so much so, you would thinkPeachfuzzis Michael’syoungerbrother.

The second film is the first time we seePeachfuzzget intimidated by his victim, and we see a role reversal.‘Creep 2’follows a videographer named Sara looking for strange content for her web series. Shegets lured into filming Duplass who is going now by “Aaron,” the name of his victim in the first film. Unfortunately for‘Aaron’,Sara is not easily scared or intimidated, and she gladly welcomes his eccentric behavior with open arms. Sara’s connection toPeachfuzzperplexes and overwhelms him, and for a while you believe he has met his match.Sara shuts down his antics faster than Ryan denies Michael’s creepy compliments.After the film’s conclusion and the introduction to the series ‘The Creep Tapes,’ you can seePeachfuzzhas yet to find someone at his level of menace.

The ‘Creep’ series has managed to make a huge name for itself in the found footage genre. The first film was so good italmostseemed like a happy accident. Patrick Briceand Mark Duplass havecarefully crafted the Peachfuzz character with such entertaining banter, audiences cannot look away from his bullshit. Characters like Michael Scott andPeachfuzzmakea lasting impression because they both live so blissfully in their ownversion of reality where they are always the main character in everyone’s story.

Meet Kara!

Kara Gray Ramirez is a proud wife and mama, as well as a writer and horror fanatic.

Since falling in love with All Hallows Eve in 2013, Kara has built a substantial Art the Clown collection.In 2025 and 2026 Kara wrote forDread Central.

She previously worked in the animal industry for 7 years as well, and loves cats, as well as playing bass and singing.

You can follow her on Instagram at@Karuh13, on X at @karagrayramirez and check out her Letterboxd profile here.