7 Random Facts Everyone Should Know About ‘The Office’ Legend Steve Carell
Steve Carell is America’s favorite “terrible” boss. For seven seasons, Carell played Michael Scott in NBC’s The Office before transitioning to other notable projects like Crazy, Stpud Love and The Morning Show. The star’s TV run launched his career into other-worldly dimensions, making Carell one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actors. That said, how much do you know about Carell the person?
Steve Carell’s early ambitions had nothing to do with acting
Carell might be known for his “that’s what she said” jokes now, but once upon a time, the actor attended Denison University in Ohio. In 1984, Carell graduated with a history degree with lofty law school ambitions.
The Office star told NJ.com in 2011 that when it came time to apply, he couldn’t answer the question “why do you want to become a lawyer?”
“I had never considered acting as a career choice, although I’d always enjoyed it. I enjoyed hockey and singing in the choir, and I didn’t think of them as potential careers, either,” he said.
“But I began to realize I really loved acting, and telling stories. Reading a book, watching a movie, going to a play, it’s transporting, and very, very exciting. And to be a part of that, creating things with your imagination, whoa.”
His acting career didn’t exactly take off right away. To make ends meet, Carell took a job as a postal carrier in Littleton, Massachusetts, driving his own vehicle to deliver mail. That only lasted four months before Carell moved to Chicago where he joined The Second City — where he met his wife, Nancy Carell. To this day, Carell says that was the hardest job he’d ever had.
He owns a unique piece of property
The Carell’s prefer to live a much-less posh life when out of the spotlight. In 2009, the couple purchased the Marshfield Hills General Store in Marshfield, Massachusetts.
According to the website bio, “Carell and his wife, actress Nancy, grew up in Massachusetts and still spend their summers near the quaint town of Marshfield Hills,” it says.
“Nancy’s sister, Tish Vivado visited the couple at their California home in October 2008 and mentioned that the historic general store was up for sale. By November, Carell had cinched a deal to purchase the business and the ownership changed hands on New Year’s Day, 2009.”
Carell told The Patriot Ledger what the store means to himself, and the community.
“The main impetus to keep it going is that not many of those places exist and I wanted this one to stay afloat,” he said. “Just generally speaking, there are not that many local sort of communal places as there used to be. I think it’s nice for people to actually go and talk and have a cup of coffee and communicate with one another.”
Carell plays a lesser-known instrument
Believe it or not, Carell plays the fife. He learned how during childhood and used his skills to reenact the 10th (North Lincoln) Regiment of Foot. Random? Yes. Ridiculously awesome? Absolutely.
David Copperfield taight Carell the art of magic
Leave it to A-list actors to employ professionals in their respective fields to play a role just right. In The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Carell plays a magician — but he didn’t know magic.
Carell reached out to illusionist David Copperfield who taught him and co-star Steve Buscemi a trick that neither can ever speak of.
“I actually had to sign something that I would not divulge,” Carell told The Hollywood Reporter. “So that was kind of cool.”
He has a favorite child
During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Carell played “Burning Questions.” The daytime talk show host asked if Carell had a favorite child in which he responded “yes.”
He didn’t say which of his two children he preferred — daughter, Elizabth or son, John — but we’re sure the favorite child knows the answer.
Carell ‘regrets’ one pivitol moment in his career
Anyone who knows Carell remembers his breakout role as Andy in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. There’s a scene in which Carell has his chest waxed and it’s 100 percent real, filmed in one take.
“Now if you look really closely in the middle, you can see blood pooling right there, yeah…And that just frightens me to even watch again. I have such respect for women for being able to do that,” E! News shared.
“About five seconds before they started to rip,” he recalled, “I thought, This is the worst idea I ever had in my life.”
Carell’s ‘The Office’ co-stars were likely very cold while filming
While filming The Office, the temperature on the set had to stay at a brisk 64 degrees due to Carell’s overactive sweat glands, according to co-star Rainn Wilson’s book, Basoon King.
The chilly cast were provided with space heaters if needed to accomodate the boss.
In real life, Carell is be nothing like Michael Scott or his Anchorman character, Brick Tamland — he’s better.
