Steve Carell's Close Call: Rejected by Paul Rudd, The Office's Big Risk

On March 25th, Steve Carell recently opened up about a close call before joining the office.

Paul Rudd, the Ant-Man star, pulled him aside and warned him not to even audition for the role of Michael Scott.

This happened when the show was just an unproven American spin on the British hit.

Industry folks saw it as a big risk back then.

Many doubted a US version could capture the same magic as Ricky Drovey's original.

Carell himself skipped watching much of that series to avoid copying it and instead crafted his own unique take on the character.

Early tests for the pilot episode went poorly, with viewers giving it low marks.

Despite that rough start, Carell went ahead and the show premiered in 2005.

It ran for six seasons until 2011 and grew into a massive comedy hit.

Fans now call it Ultimate Comfort TV that feels like coming home.

Carell still thinks a reboot today would miss the mark, but ignoring that early advice launched one of TV's biggest successes.

That wraps entertainment and celebrity news.

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