Bob Odenkirk reveals why he lost ‘The Office’ role to Steve Carell
Bob Odenkirk has opened up about why he believes he lost out on the role of Michael Scott in the US version of The Office to Steve Carell.
The Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad actor had been considered one of the favourites for the role during the casting process, before eventually losing out to Carell.
And now, in an appearance on the Office Ladies podcast, he has given what he believes is the reason that the producers felt that Carell was the better fit.
“I am, in a strange way, a very earnest person for a person in comedy,” he said. “I am oddly earnest, and… it’s one of the reasons I think Steve Carell is a better, you know — is the one who got the role.”
Odenkirk continued by pointing out that it is not the only time he has lost out on a role to the Anchorman star. “It’s because he’s better at being genuinely fun. I think I bring with me a little bit too much earnest seriousness. And it’s just kinda there. And there’s nothing I can do about it except play other roles where it’s helpful to have that.”
A new show set in the same universe as The Office is in production, with Star Wars and Ex Machina star Domhnall Gleeson starring alongside The White Lotus’ Sabrina Impacciatore. The show begins filming this month.
In other Odenkirk news, he discovered earlier this year that he’s a distant cousin of King Charles III during an appearance on TV show Finding Your Roots.
He found out that his fifth great-grandfather is Friedrich Carl Steinholz, an 18th century figure with close ties to the royal families of Europe. “[It makes me feel] like a part of history that I didn’t think I was any part of,” Odenkirk said. “I’m an American. I’m not a monarchist. I don’t believe in that. You know, I feel like it’s a little twisted.”
Last year, Odenkirk made a guest appearance in The Bear season two and he next stars in director Mike Flanagan’s The Room Returns, a remake of Tommy Wiseau’s The Room, opposite Bella Heathcote and Greg Sestero.
The actor also opened up last year about his time on Saturday Night Live from 1987 to 1991.
“I was unsure of myself. It was hard. It was existentially dangerous. I had feelings of ‘I should erase myself,’” Odenkirk revealed.
“I was too young when I got hired at SNL,” Odenkirk continued. “That was not a good thing. That could’ve gone wrong. That could’ve gone so wrong. It came this close so many times to going so wrong. You gotta believe me. And it’s hard for kids to believe you when you say, ‘I had no fucking clue what I was doing and I was scared outta my wits for years.’”
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Max Pilley
NME
