Steve Carell, who made Michael Scott a household name on NBC’s ‘The Office‘, has revealed that a close friend almost convinced him to pass on the role that would define his career.
On a recent podcast, the 63-year-old actor shared how Paul Rudd, his anchorman co-star and longtime friend, pulled him aside before the 2004 audition and gave him a blunt warning.
Paul Rudd Tried to Talk Steve Carell Out of ‘The Office’
Rudd was sure there was “no way” an American version of Ricky Gervais‘ hit British sitcom could work.
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“I remember Rudd pulled me aside and was like, ‘Don’t do it, man. Don’t audition.’ It was like, ‘There is no way,’ ” Carell recalled on Amy Poehler’s ‘Good Hang podcast‘ on Tuesday, March 24.
Poehler, 54, understood immediately. “Yeah. Everyone was like, don’t even touch this,” she said. Carell laughed and added, “With a 10-foot pole!”
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The skepticism was widespread in Hollywood at that time. The US version, developed by Greg Daniels, was immediately compared to the OG UK original, with Gervais as the cringeworthy David Bret. Many insiders doubted that the mockumentary style and awkward humor would work for American audiences.
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Carell admitted that he watched only a minute of the British series before auditioning, worried he might unconsciously copy Geravis’ “so good and so specific” performance.
Steve Carell Defied Doubt to Become Michael Scott
Carell ignored the warnings and won the role of Scrantrton branch manager at Dunder Mifflin. What followed was slow-building success. The pilot tested poorly, and Carell later called it the “lowest-testing pilot” on NBC.
“People really hated it,” he recalled. “They actively hated it. And I don’t quite know how it got legs after that.”
Over time, however, the show found its audience, becoming a cultural phenomenon that ran for nine seasons and remains one of the most-streamed and quoted comedies today.
Ultimately, Carell’s choice to audition anyway did not just launch a hit show. It cemented his place as one of comedy’s most versatile and beloved stars.
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