Steve Carell's Life Would've Been Totally Different If He Took Paul Rudd's Bad Advice

While it may seem like Steve Carell shot to fame overnight, it took the "Rooster" star a lot of time and effort to become a household name, and he may not have become such a huge star if he listened to Paul Rudd. Carell worked as a mail carrier before moving to Chicago, where he honed his comedic skills at the famous Second City Training Center (and improv is also how he met his wife, Nancy). After being a regular on "The Daily Show" and appearing in "Anchorman," Carell's career really took off in 2005 when both "The Office" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" came out. But, if he had taken Rudd's advice, he would never have played Michael Scott on "The Office."

Appearing on "Good Hang with Amy Poehler" in March 2026, Carell discussed being cast in "The Office" and how, before he had the role, it seemed like a bad idea to a lot of people. Even Poehler admitted that when she first heard about the remake, she thought it would be a disaster. The series, an American remake of the popular British show, seemed impossible to do right without star and co-creator Ricky Gervais, which Rudd warned Carell of. As Carell explained to Poehler, "Rudd pulled me aside and was like, 'Don't do it man. Don't audition.'" But Carell went against the advice of Rudd and others and, while he is not one of the few characters who shows up in every episode of "The Office," Michael Scott is undoubtedly the face of the series. In fairness to the "Ant-Man" star, he has given others solid guidance; Rudd's advice about "Titanic" may have changed Leonardo DiCaprio's life.

From 2004 to 2013, Steve Carell and Paul Rudd appeared in six movies together. They first joined forces in "Anchorman," starring alongside Will Ferrell and playing two members of Ron Burgundy's news crew. A second movie, "Wake Up, Ron Burgundy," made out of deleted scenes from "Anchorman" was also released on video. They next teamed up for "The 40-Year-Old-Virgin," then each of them appeared in "Knocked Up," but they didn't share any scenes; while Rudd plays a major role in the movie, Carell only has a brief cameo as himself. In 2010, Carell and Rudd co-starred in "Dinner for Schmucks," and in 2013 they both came back for "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues." As of writing, they haven't worked on any movies together since then.

Carell and Rudd have undeniable chemistry, and at the heart of it is the respect they have for each other's skills. Talking to Entertainment Weekly for "Dinner for Schmucks," Rudd praised Carell, saying, " ... there have been times when I've been off camera and I just watch Steve. It's watching total creativity and genius." After jokingly discussing Rudd's pleasant scent, Carell returned the compliment and said, "[Rudd] lives up to your expectations. He exudes this very accessible charm when he's on screen. He is accessibly charming in person as well. He is kind and truly a gentleman."