The Office: Steve Carell on Rudd, Others Not Wanting Him to Audition

Posted in: NBC, TV | Tagged: the office

The Office: Steve Carell on Rudd, Others Not Wanting Him to Audition

Steve Carell (Rooster) discusses how several people advised him not to audition for The Office - including Anchorman co-star Paul Rudd.

Published Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:37:06 -0500
by Tom Chang
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Last updated Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:15:31 -0500
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Article Summary

• Steve Carell reveals he was advised by Paul Rudd and others not to audition for The Office.
• Many in Hollywood doubted the American remake of The Office would succeed or match the UK original.
• The Office pilot tested poorly at NBC, with viewers initially reacting very negatively to the show.
• Despite doubts, Carell landed the role of Michael Scott, launching him to superstardom and global fame.

Steve Carell was already on his way up in Hollywood as more opportunities started to sprout his way, thanks in large part to his success on The Daily Show. His biggest signature role of Michael Scott on NBC's The Office came as he was emerging as a mainstay on films, which include the 2004 ensemble comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. It was while filming the Will Ferrell vehicle that he heard NBC and Greg Daniels were reimagining the Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant UK hit for American audiences, and he considered auditioning for the lead role as Michael, the general manager of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. As most didn't foresee the American remake to be the juggernaut it became, Carell spoke with Amy Poehler on her Good Hang podcast about how many told him to stay away, including his Anchorman co-star Paul Rudd, taking the gamble despite the odds.

The Office Star Steve Carell Reflects on Series Doubts Before Auditioning and Subsequent Success

"Rudd pulled me aside and was like, 'Don't do it, man. Don't audition,'" Carell told the Parks & Recreation star. "It was like, 'There is no way.'" The Rooster star admitted that so many from across the industry advised him to avoid The Office with a "10-foot pole," with Poehler among the doubters before she started to believe with the actor on board. "Our pilot was the lowest testing pilot in the history of NBC," Carell said. "People really hated it. They actively hated it. And I don't quite know how it got legs after that."

While the actor embraced opportunities on the big screen, it was The Office that vaulted him to superstardom, from its premiere in 2005 through the end of season seven, and his surprise cameo in the series-ending season nine finale in 2013. The US version of The Office helped elevate the series' international appeal, with 14 incarnations across Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Finland, Australia, and Poland. That doesn't even factor in the series's first direct spinoff in Peacock's The Paper in 2025, set in the same universe, but at The Toledo Truth Teller, a Midwestern newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, instead of the NBC original series' setting of Scranton, PA. For more on Carell's career, you can check out the full interview.

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