The Office star Rainn Wilson has said that it was tough to continue the hit comedy show without lead actor Steve Carell, who departed two seasons before the series’ eventual finale.
Dwight Schrute actor Wilson told Variety that Carell’s departure had not come as a surprise to the rest of The Office’s cast, as the man playing their boss was already in demand for movie roles. “We knew it was coming for a long time,” Wilson said.
Still, the show took time to rediscover its footing following the exit of Carell’s character Michael Scott — a period Wilson described as “a little bit chaotic” behind the scenes.
“When Steve left, then it was a little bit chaotic,” Wilson said, “trying to figure out the tone of the show and who’s the lead and, how are we telling these stories without, you know, the comic engine of the show, which is Michael Scott, and without one of the greatest comic actors in American history at the center of our show. That was also a struggle.”
Carell was already a movie star prior to The Office, with roles in Anchorman and The 40-Year-Old Virgin filmed before his turn as Dunder Mifflin’s infamous regional manager.
But it was The Office which supercharged Carell’s career — just as it also has for Wilson himself, as well as fellow co-star John Krasinski.
With Carell gone, the show’s concluding seasons saw the introduction of fresh characters played by James Spader and Catherine Tate in new senior roles, before a final season wrapped up the stories of the series’ original characters — ending in the wedding of Dwight and long-term love interest Angela, an event for which Carell briefly returned in a long-awaited cameo.
Next for The Office fans is new spin-off show The Paper, set to debut this September co-created by producer Greg Daniels and starring Domhnall Gleeson. The series will feature the same mockumentary format, this time in the office of a failing local newspaper, and featuring The Office character Oscar in a recurring role.
Carell has previously confirmed he would not be involved in The Paper, as there would be “really no reason” for Michael Scott to appear.
Image: Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
