Idris Elba credits The Wire for his casting in The Office. According to the actor, the sitcom needed a villain like Stringer Bell, so he channeled his character from the crime drama series.

During an appearance on Good Hang with Amy Poehler, Elba said he basically played different versions of the same character in The Wire and The Office. He also revealed that he landed a role in the sitcom because John Krasinski was obsessed with the crime drama. "[Krasinski] was a big Wire fan, and he was like, 'We need that guy, we need that guy,'" he recalled. Elba played Dunder Mifflin boss Charles Miner in The Office Season 5. Though he only appeared in six episodes, the character was one of the show's best low-key villains.

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"[Charles Miner] was described as this guy who's like Stringer Bell. He's real serious as a businessman, but you don't laugh at anyone, you don't suffer fools," Elba said, referring to The Wire's antagonist. It's easy to see the similarities between Stringer Bell and Charles Miner, as both were reserved, self-assured, and decisive.

Charles seemed an odd fit for The Office's eclectic ensemble, but it worked. Elba should have appeared alongside Ray Romano, Jim Carrey, and Ricky Gervais in Season 7, when Dunder Mifflin interviewed candidates for Michael Scott's replacement.