Steve Carell originally announced in April 2010 that he will be leaving The Office at the end of season 7; on January 14, 2011, executive producer Greg Daniels said that Carell will in fact leave before the end of the season, likely before the final four episodes, which, he says, will "see Dunder Mifflin [the paper company at the centre of the sitcom] scrambling to replace him."
The American version of The Office (which is based on a British series of the same name, created by Ricky Gervais) premiered in 2005. While the series boasts an ensemble of talented actor-comedians and sharp writing, it is Steve Carell’s gaffe-prone, validation-seeking but vulnerable branch manager Michael Scott who has been the stronghold of the series from the outset.
Carell has said that he wants to spend more time with his family and concentrate on his film career.
Steve Carell is a Viable Movie Star and Box Office Draw
Carell has an extensive filmography behind him, and while not conventionally handsome, he has become a viable film star and proved to be a box office draw with 2005’s The 40-Year Old Virgin, which showcased both his deft comedic timing and his ability to convey vulnerability and depth. His comic talents have recently been on display in films such as Get Smart (2008), Date Night (2010), the animated Despicable Me (2010), and Dinner for Schmucks (2010).
Carell has also proved his range as an actor with weightier and more emotional material, such as in Little Miss Sunshine (2006), in which he played the protagonist’s suicidal uncle struggling with a recent break-up, and Dan in Real Life (2007), in which he played a widower raising three young girls.
Who Will Replace Steve Carell in Season 8 of The Office?
Inevitably, there has been speculation as to how Carell’s exit will be handled and, most importantly, who will replace him in season 8. Possible replacements include existing cast members Rainn Wilson (who plays the geeky but tyrannical Dwight Schrute), John Krasinski (nice guy Jim Halpert) and Mindy Kaling (the ditzy but upwardly mobile Kelly Kapoor). On a recent episode of The Ellen Degeneres Show, Carell himself said he would like to see Wilson’s character in the manager role, stating that “Dwight has become so nuanced – you actually care about him now.”
The other possibility, of course, is to “hire from the outside” and cast a new actor. Carell has said that he believes it is in the best interest of the show to “go in a different direction” rather than to replicate the Michael Scott character.
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Sources
popeater.com, "Steve Carell Leaves The Office Early," (accessed January 16, 2011)
Huffington Post, "Steve Carell Talks 'Office' Replacement," (accessed January 16, 2011)
Kim Downey - Kim Downey graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2005. She is now a part time freelance and creative writer and a full time ...
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