Kate Flannery, 55, Wants to ‘Give Voice to the Strength That Comes From Getting Older’ on ‘DWTS’

Just because Kate Flannery is a woman of a certain age, it doesn’t mean she can’t kick butt on Dancing With the Stars. While recently chatting with Closer Weekly and other reporters at a taping for the beloved reality TV dancing competition, The Office actress opened up about the most important takeaway she has gotten out of the incredible experience.

“I think just understanding as we get older, we can still do more than we ever thought we could,” the 55-year-old beauty gushed. “I guess I just want to give voice to the strength that comes from getting older. We have a lot to be proud of as we get older.”

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The SAG Award-winning star — who is currently competing on season 28 of DWTS alongside professional dancer Pasha Pashkov — explained that although “this is just a silly dance show,” it’s actually been “a great personal challenge” for her.

“It is just great to have the greatest dancer, literally. [A] seven-time national ballroom champion,” she marveled of her partner. “He still has his title. He just won again in February, so I am literally dancing with the best dancer in the country, which is nuts.”

Overall, Kate stressed the importance of not selling yourself short despite what others think of your age. “Don’t count yourself out. You never know,” Kate — who played Meredith Palmer on the iconic NBC sitcom — continued. “Life can bring you some really wonderful things. I am living proof.”

Kate also opened up about her Mary Poppins tribute performance during week 5 of the dancing competition. For Disney Night, the red-haired beauty and her professional partner beautifully executed a jazz rendition of “A Spoonful of Sugar” by Mary Poppins star Julie Andrews.

The performance, which left Kate and Pasha with a score of 24 out of 30 during the October 15 episode, was extremely special for the Philadelphia native. Besides the fact that the iconic film is one of Kate’s family’s “favorite, favorite movies,” she explained the special tie the performance had to her sister.

“My sister Nancy, who passed away [from breast cancer] in June, she had a Mary Poppins doll but we were never allowed to play with it. She used to play the music on the piano,” she explained. “This movie meant so much to her, so I was really thinking about her spirit.”

Kate continued, “I have to say, it is just an honor to get to represent that on such a crazy level on this show. The production value was amazing. I feel like there is so much energy to the show. I am a cynical person, so for me to say that, I really mean it.”

We hope Kate continues to crush the beloved TV competition!