Paul Rudd Urged Steve Carell Not to Audition for The Office — Look How That Turned Out

Here’s one for the 'wait, really?' files: Steve Carell almost didn’t become Michael Scott, all because Paul Rudd—yes, that Paul Rudd—told him not to risk it. Hard to picture the sitcom universe without Carell running Dunder Mifflin, but there’s a great story behind how close we came to that actually happening.

The Conversation That (Almost) Changed TV Comedy

Back when Steve Carell was filming 'Anchorman,' he was considering whether to try out for the American remake of 'The Office.' Turns out, Paul Rudd pulled him aside with some, uh, less-than-encouraging advice. According to Carell, Rudd told him:

'Don’t do it, man. Don’t audition.'

Rudd thought the US version couldn’t possibly live up to Ricky Gervais’s original (and okay, that British show is a pretty tough act to follow). Carell said the warning was blunt: 'There is no way.' And honestly, at the time, the smart money was probably on Rudd being right. Americans remaking iconic UK comedies? Usually, that goes... badly.

Carell vs. Gervais

Carell didn’t need more reasons to be nervous. He actually tried to steer clear of Gervais’s performance before his audition. His logic makes sense: he caught maybe a minute of the original and decided if he watched any more, he’d end up just copying Gervais—and Michael Scott would basically become a weird David Brent clone. So, he went in blind, figuring he’d have a better shot at making the character his own.

The Office Nearly Got Canned

If you think The Office was a sure thing from the start, think again. Carell says the show’s pilot was, and I quote, 'the lowest testing pilot in the history of NBC.' In his words, people really hated it. The ratings for Season 1 took a nosedive right after the premiere, and an early cancellation was looking likely.

For all the hype now, it’s kind of wild to think that NBC almost pulled the plug before things really got going. Instead, they doubled down for Season 2—and that’s when everyone finally stopped pining for the Gervais version.

Where Are We Now?

The Office obviously cemented itself as an American classic, launched memes for life, and generally proved Paul Rudd wrong in the best possible way. And if you’re hungry for more, the Office-verse hasn’t shut down yet. Case in point: 'The Paper' (from the same creative team) is sticking around for a second season.

• Steve Carell almost didn’t audition for The Office, thanks to Paul Rudd’s warning.
• Carell deliberately avoided copying Ricky Gervais’s iconic performance.
• The Office’s pilot was basically NBC’s worst-testing ever—nearly tanked the whole thing.
• NBC rolled the dice on a second season, and that’s when it clicked with audiences.
• The show’s legacy continues, with spin-offs still rolling out (like The Paper).

Bottom line: We almost lived in a world without Steve Carell’s Michael Scott—and you have Paul Rudd’s well-meaning, but ultimately terrible, career advice to thank for that near-miss. Sometimes, it pays to ignore your friends.