Steve Carell Recalls Paul Rudd's Warning Over The Office Audition
Steve Carell has revealed that he was cautioned by a prominent Marvel star against trying out for the lead role in the American version of The Office, amid widespread scepticism that the adaptation would succeed.
"Don't Do It, Man": Rudd's Direct Advice
During an appearance on Amy Poehler's Good Hang podcast, Carell, 63, recounted how his longtime friend and frequent collaborator Paul Rudd, 56, pulled him aside with stark advice. "I remember Rudd pulled me aside and was like, 'Don't do it, man. Don't audition,'" Carell said. "It was like, 'There is no way.'"
Host Amy Poehler, 54, echoed this sentiment, recalling that backstage at Saturday Night Live, the consensus was that creating an American version was a terrible idea. "Everyone was like, don't even touch this with a 10-foot pole," Poehler stated, referencing the workplace mockumentary.
Initial Doubts and Eventual Acceptance
Poehler, a star of Parks and Recreation, remembered the pervasive belief that no one could match Ricky Gervais's performance in the original British series. "And everyone was like, 'This is a terrible idea; terrible idea. No one can be as good as Ricky Gervais. No one can do that show,'" she said.
However, attitudes shifted when Carell was announced for the role. "And then we heard it was you, and we were like, 'Oh, whoever's making the show wants it to be funny.' You know, like it was this thing of, 'Oh that's a very, very good choice,'" Poehler added.
Carell's Breakout Role and Critical Acclaim
Carell went on to portray Michael Scott, the inept regional manager of the fictional Dunder Mifflin paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania, from 2005 to 2011. This role served as his television breakthrough, earning him six consecutive Lead Actor Emmy nominations between 2006 and 2011.
The American adaptation of The Office, which ran for nine seasons from 2005 to 2013, featured a talented ensemble cast including Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Mindy Kaling, and B.J. Novak. It was based on the two-season British original led by Ricky Gervais.
Controversial Departure and Network Decisions
Carell departed the series at the end of its seventh season in 2011. While it was initially reported that he left to pursue other career opportunities, behind-the-scenes accounts suggest a different story.
In Andy Greene's 2020 book, The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s, hairstylist Kim Ferry claimed that Carell did not want to leave. "He didn't want to leave the show," Ferry insisted. "He had told the network that he was going to sign for another couple of years ... He told his manager and his manager contacted them and said he's willing to sign another contract."
Ferry explained that NBC failed to make an offer before the deadline, leading to confusion. "The deadline came for when the network was supposed to give him an offer and it passed and they didn't make him an offer. So his agent was like, 'Well, I guess they don't want to renew you for some reason.' Which was insane to me. And to him, I think."
Casting director Allison Jones also recalled the incident, describing NBC's decision as "absolutely asinine." She stated, "He was going to do another season and then NBC, for whatever reason, wouldn't make a deal with him. Somebody didn't pay him enough. It was absolutely asinine. I don't know what else to say about that. Just asinine."
Carell later returned to the series for its 2013 finale, providing closure for his character and fans of the show.
