‘The Office’ Star Rainn Wilson Makes Drastic Name Change To Highlight Climate Emergency

10.11.2022 - 16:21 / deadline.com

Rainn Wilson, who is best known for his role as Dwight Schrute in the U.S. version of The Office and was also recently seen in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, has changed his name to ‘Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson’ to raise awareness about the environmental crisis and rapid warming of the Arctic region. 

Wilson made the change to support a campaign being run by climate change awareness body Arctic Basecamp, of which he is a board member, to coincide with the United Nation’s COP 27 meeting which is currently taking place in Egypt.

“With the help of my scientist friends at Arctic Basecamp, I’ve changed my name to Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson. This is not a joke, I’m as serious as the melting Arctic, which amplifies global risks including extreme weather events around the globe,” said Wilson in a video address posted on the social networks by Arctic Basecamp.

“I’m hoping this name change brings attention to this growing… er, melting issue. We need world leaders at COP27 to take notice and take action. The Arctic is melting at millions of litres per second, yet this problem can’t seem to make a name for itself, so it’s up to us to make a name for it.”

Arctic Basecamp is led by a team ofArctic experts and scientists. The body has physically set up a real basecamp in the Arctic and uses its findings to raise awareness about the environmental crisis.

Wilson encouraged people to also modify their name to bring attention to the issue, using the Arctic Basecamp “name-changer” on website ArcticRiskName.org, and then change their social media profile with the result.

“If enough of us do this, then maybe COP27 will be where our world leaders sit up and notice  Arctic risks and introduce a solution,” he said.