Steve Carell

Early Years

Steven John Carell was born on August 16, 1963 in Concord, Massachusetts. As a child, he attended The Fenn School, a private school for boys, as well as Middlesex School. He went on to Denison University in Granville, Ohio, before pursuing acting at Chicago’s famed Second City.

His first role was in the 1991 film Curly Sue, but he continued to teach improvisational comedy at Second City and perform with their comedy troupe from 1990-1996. It was there that he met his future wife, Nancy Walls.

Television Career

Carell, with the cast of The Office

Steve Carell wrote for and appeared on the short-lived Dana Carvey Show before moving on as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He appeared on the show from 1999 until 2004. He did make several appearances in 2005, before officially announcing that he was no longer part of the show.

Carell’s other television credits include the 1997 sitcom Over the Top, with Tim Curry, and the 2002 sitcom Watching Ellie, opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

In 2005, he took on the role of smug, yet clueless, boss Michael Scott on The Office. The American version of the British hit had a slow start, but was renewed for a second season and quickly gained momentum. The success of the series secured a third season and a pay increase for Carell, who now earns $175,000 per episode.

Film Career

It wasn’t until the 2003 Jim Carrey film, Bruce Almighty, that Carell started to gain attention. His role as Carrey’s rival, anchorman Evan Baxter, provided as many scene-stealing moments as Carrey, which is no small feat.

Steve Carell was also a strong presence in the 2004 hit, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, starring Will Farrell. Carell shined as the dim-witted Brick Tamland, delivering some of the silliest lines and earning big laughs.

In 2005, he co-wrote and starred in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. The comedy was a huge summer success, further cementing Carell’s abilities as a comedic force and leading man.

The 2006 independent dark comedy Little Miss Sunshine allowed Carell to showcase his range in a more serious and quiet role.

Other film roles include:

• Bewitched (2005)
• Over the Hedge (2006)
• Melinda and Melinda (2004)

Upcoming Films

Given Steve Carell’s successful turn in Bruce Almighty, he will return as Evan Baxter in the 2007 sequel, Evan Almighty. Lauren Graham and Morgan Freeman will co-star.

Other upcoming films include:

• Dan in Real Life, co-starring Dane Cook and Juliette Binoche (2007)
• Get Smart, playing Maxwell Smart (2008)
• Horton Hears a Who!, voicing the Mayor of Who-Ville (2008)

Private Life

With wife, Nancy Walls

Steve Carell met his wife, Nancy Walls, when she was a student in his improv class at Second City. The two married in 1995 and have two children. Elisabeth was born in May 2001 and John was born in June 2004.

Awards

Steve Carell’s hard work and perseverance in the entertainment industry have not gone unnoticed. His undeniable talent has earned him the following awards:

• MTV Movie Award (2006), Best Comedic Performance, The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
• Golden Globe (2006), Best Performance by an Actor in a TV series Musical or Comedy, The Office.
• Television Critics Association award (2006), Outstanding Individual Achievement in Comedy, The Office.
• Screen Actors Guild of America award (2007), Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, Little Miss Sunshine.
• Screen Actors Guild of America award (2007), Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, The Office.
• Screen Actors Guild of America award (2007), Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series, The Office.

Steve Carell Facts

• Carell and his wife have appeared together on several occasions; most notably, both were correspondents on The Daily Show. She also appeared on his television show, The Office, as his character's realtor and girlfriend.
• Carell and Stephen Colbert voiced the characters on The Ambiguously Gay Duo cartoons, formerly shown on The Dana Carvey Show, and later shown on Saturday Night Live.
• The hair waxing scene in The 40-Year-Old Virgin was done in one take, and is actually Carell getting his chest hair removed.
• He was unable to accept a role in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby because of scheduling conflicts.
• Stephen Colbert, whom Carell appeared with on The Daily Show, was Carell’s understudy at one time in the Second City troupe.
• In 1995, Carell auditioned for Saturday Night Live. He lost the part to Will Ferrell.
• Carell hosted Saturday Night Live in October 2005.