Warren Lieberstein (born September 20, 1968) is an American television writer, producer, and occasional actor best known for his contributions to the NBC mockumentary comedy series The Office (2005–2013).^[1][2] Born in Westport, Connecticut, to parents Judith and Stanley Lieberstein, he grew up alongside his siblings, including older brother Paul Lieberstein, a fellow writer-producer and actor who portrayed Toby Flenderson on The Office, and sister Susanne Daniels, a television executive.^[3][4] Lieberstein graduated from Kenyon College and began his career in the mid-1990s, appearing as an actor in the film Sleepover (1995) before transitioning to writing for adult-oriented comedies.^[5][6] Throughout his career, Lieberstein has collaborated frequently with writing partner Halsted Sullivan, contributing scripts and producing for shows including King of the Hill (1997–2010), All of Us (2003–2007), Modern Men (2006), Carpoolers (2007–2008), Back in the Game (2013), and Hit the Road (2017).^[1] His most prominent role came on The Office, where he served as a co-executive producer and writer for multiple seasons, earning nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2010 and 2011, as well as Writers Guild of America Awards for Comedy Series in 2009, 2010, and 2011.^[7][8] In 2010, he received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for his work on the show.^[9] On a personal note, Lieberstein was married to actress Angela Kinsey, who played Angela Martin on The Office, from 2000 to 2010; the couple has a daughter, Isabel Ruby Lieberstein, born in 2008. He remarried television writer Audrey Wauchope in 2016; they have two daughters, as of 2025.^[4]

Early life

Birth and upbringing

Warren Keith Lieberstein was born on September 20, 1968, in Westport, Connecticut, to parents Judith and Stanley Lieberstein.^[1][3] Judith Lieberstein worked as a clinical psychologist, while Stanley was a lawyer.^[10][11] Raised in a Jewish household, Lieberstein grew up immersed in a family environment that emphasized cultural and intellectual traditions associated with their heritage.^[12][10] This upbringing included exposure to Jewish communal activities in Westport, a town with a established Jewish community featuring multiple synagogues and organizations.^[13] The family's creative leanings, including those of his brother Paul, who later pursued a career in television, likely fostered early appreciation for storytelling and humor within the home.^[14] Westport, an affluent suburban town along Connecticut's Gold Coast and approximately 48 miles northeast of New York City, provided a stable and resource-rich setting for Lieberstein's childhood.^[15] He attended Staples High School, graduating in the class of 1986, where the community's emphasis on education and arts may have sparked his initial interests in entertainment.^[12] From an early age, Lieberstein was surrounded by a strong creative family culture that introduced him to writing and comedic elements, laying the groundwork for his future professional path.^[14] Lieberstein attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, graduating in 1990.^[5][16]

Family background

Warren Lieberstein was born into a Jewish family in Westport, Connecticut, as the youngest child of Stanley H. Lieberstein, a lawyer, and Judith Lieberstein, a clinical psychologist.^[11][17][18] His older brother, Paul Lieberstein, is a television writer and producer who gained prominence for portraying the character Toby Flenderson on the NBC sitcom The Office. The siblings shared a close professional connection in the entertainment industry, with Paul serving as showrunner on The Office during Warren's tenure as a writer and producer. Warren also has an older sister, Susanne Daniels, a television executive who has held key roles at networks such as CBS and Netflix.^[18] Raised in a household emphasizing professional achievement and creativity, the Lieberstein siblings pursued careers in media and entertainment, reflecting the family's intellectual environment shaped by their parents' professions.^[10] The Jewish traditions observed in their Westport home fostered values of education, community involvement, and cultural continuity that influenced their personal and professional development.^[18]

Career

Early career

Warren Lieberstein began his career in the entertainment industry with a minor acting role in the 1995 teen comedy film Sleepover, where he portrayed the character Justin.^[19] This appearance marked his debut in Hollywood, though he quickly shifted focus toward writing and production roles.^[3] In 2000, Lieberstein entered television writing with the short-lived WB sketch comedy series Hype, contributing scripts during its single season.^[20] He continued building his portfolio in 2003 as a writer for the UPN sitcom All of Us, co-writing at least two episodes, including "I Saw Tia Kissing Santa Claus," which aired in December of that year. His writing often involved collaboration, notably with partner Halsted Sullivan, a partnership that would define much of his early output. Lieberstein's early writing credits expanded in 2004 with the UPN comedy Second Time Around, where he and Sullivan penned the episode "No, No," focusing on themes of relationships and family dynamics in a sitcom format.^[21] By 2006, he served as a staff writer on the short-lived WB series Modern Men, contributing to its exploration of male friendships and modern masculinity through comedic lenses.^[22] These entry-level positions in comedy series development honed his skills in script crafting and story structure, laying the groundwork for more prominent opportunities. This period of freelance and staff writing culminated in his transition to a major network show as a career milestone.

Work on The Office

Warren Lieberstein joined the writing staff of the NBC sitcom The Office in 2005 as a staff writer during its early seasons. He advanced through various production roles over the course of the series, serving as co-producer in season 5 (2008–2009), producer in seasons 6 and 7 (2009–2011), supervising producer in season 8 (2011–2012), and co-executive producer in season 9 (2012–2013).^[23] Lieberstein's primary contributions as a writer came through his partnership with Halsted Sullivan, with whom he co-wrote all seven of his credited episodes. These episodes emphasized the show's mockumentary style, often highlighting absurd workplace dynamics and character-driven awkwardness. The episodes are:

• "Café Disco" (season 5, episode 27), where Michael Scott transforms a storage room into a makeshift disco, leading to an impromptu office dance party.^[24]
• "Koi Pond" (season 6, episode 8), inspired by a real-life incident in which Lieberstein fell into a koi pond during a corporate event, resulting in Michael facing relentless office teasing after a similar mishap.^[25]
• "Whistleblower" (season 6, episode 26), the season finale focusing on the fallout from Sabre's printer recall scandal and employee loyalties.
• "China" (season 7, episode 10), exploring office debates over American manufacturing versus Chinese imports amid a sales competition.
• "After Hours" (season 8, episode 16), depicting Dwight's attempts to undermine Andy's authority during an after-work gathering.
• "Turf War" (season 8, episode 23), involving a rivalry between the Scranton and Utica branches over a potential client.
• "Paper Airplane" (season 9, episode 20), featuring a paper airplane contest with high stakes for the employees.^[26]

These contributions helped reinforce The Office's comedy through escalating interpersonal tensions and satirical takes on corporate life.^[27] In addition to his behind-the-scenes work, Lieberstein made on-screen appearances, most notably as Rory Flenderson, the younger brother of Toby Flenderson (portrayed by his real-life brother Paul Lieberstein), in the emotional farewell episode "Goodbye, Michael" (season 7, episode 21).^[28] Lieberstein's collaborations were integral to his tenure; he partnered closely with Halsted Sullivan on all writing assignments, drawing on their shared approach to blending humor with relatable office absurdities. He also worked extensively with his brother Paul Lieberstein, who served as executive producer and showrunner from seasons 5 through 8, contributing to a familial dynamic that influenced episode development and production decisions.^[29][30] His ex-wife, Angela Kinsey, played the role of Angela Martin throughout the series, adding a personal layer to the production environment.^[31]

Other television projects

Earlier, in 1999, he provided voice work for additional characters in the King of the Hill episode "Bills Are Made to Be Broken" (Season 4, Episode 3), adding to the animated series' ensemble of quirky suburban personalities.^[32][33] Lieberstein's involvement in ensemble comedies continued with Carpoolers (2007–2008), an ABC sitcom he co-wrote two episodes for alongside his frequent collaborator Halsted Sullivan, focusing on the humorous interactions among carpool members navigating daily commutes and personal mishaps.^[34][35] Following the conclusion of The Office, he served as co-executive producer on the ABC family comedy Back in the Game (2013–2014), overseeing production for the series starring James Caan as a former baseball player coaching his daughter's little league team, emphasizing themes of redemption and parent-child bonds.^[5][36] In 2017, Lieberstein served as consulting producer for five episodes of Audience Network's Hit the Road, a road-trip comedy about a dysfunctional family embarking on a tour with their son, a promising young magician, and wrote one episode, which highlighted his affinity for character-driven humor in familial settings.^[3][37] More recently, in 2023, he contributed as consulting producer across the single season of AMC's Lucky Hank, a dark comedy-drama adapted from Richard Russo's novel and developed by his brother Paul Lieberstein, exploring academic and personal tensions in a university English department.^[38] In 2024, he acted as Larry's Dad in the short film Clown.^[39] These projects reflect Lieberstein's consistent style in blending witty ensemble interactions with relatable family-oriented narratives across various comedic formats.^[36]

Personal life

Marriages

Warren Lieberstein married actress Angela Kinsey on June 18, 2000.^[40] The couple, who met in the television industry, shared a professional connection through The Office, where Kinsey portrayed the character Angela Martin during their marriage, while Lieberstein served as a writer and producer on the series.^[41] They separated in February 2009 after nearly nine years together.^[42] Kinsey filed for divorce in June 2010, citing irreconcilable differences after a decade of marriage, with the proceedings described as amicable.^[43] In media interviews following the divorce, Kinsey emphasized positive co-parenting with Lieberstein for their daughter, noting the arrangement allowed them to maintain a supportive relationship focused on their child's well-being.^[31] The divorce received coverage in entertainment outlets, highlighting the couple's shared The Office ties but avoiding details of conflict.^[44] Lieberstein remarried in 2016 to Audrey Wauchope, a television writer and producer known for her work on shows like Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.^[45] The wedding took place on July 3, 2016, marking a union within the TV writing community where both partners navigate overlapping professional networks.^[1] Their marriage has remained relatively private, with limited public statements or media coverage beyond biographical mentions of their shared industry roles. The couple has two daughters together.^[45]

Children and family ties

Warren Lieberstein has three daughters from two marriages. His eldest daughter, Isabel Ruby Lieberstein, was born on May 3, 2008, to him and his first wife, actress Angela Kinsey.^[46][47] With his second wife, television writer Audrey Wauchope, Lieberstein has two younger daughters: Hazel Flora Lieberstein, born on September 21, 2014, and Sadie Hope Lieberstein, born on June 24, 2017.^[45] Following his 2010 divorce from Kinsey, Lieberstein and his ex-wife have maintained an amicable co-parenting arrangement for Isabel, sharing joint legal and physical custody while prioritizing her well-being.^[31][48] This cooperative approach extends to family involvement in Isabel's activities, fostering a blended family dynamic that supports her upbringing. Lieberstein's children, particularly Isabel, benefit from indirect ties to the cast of The Office through their parents' professional collaborations on the series, where Kinsey portrayed Angela Martin and Lieberstein contributed as a writer and producer.^[49]