Born:

August 16, 1962

Steve Carell Overview:

TV and film star Steve Carell has a career that spans just about every kind of work. He got started in sketch and improv comedy, has played memorable supporting roles and become one of Hollywood's go-to comedic leading men. He's even proven capable of good dramatic work, thanks to turns in smaller movies like the Oscar-winning Little Miss Sunshine. From The Daily Show to The Office to The 40-Year Old Virgin, Carell is one of the biggest comedy stars of the 2000s.

Quick Steve Carell Facts:

• Steve Carell was born and raised in Massachusetts and began performing improv comedy while a student at Denison University in Ohio.
• In 1991, Carell moved to Chicago and joined the cast of Second City.
• In 1999, Carell joined the cast of The Daily Show, where he remained until 2005.
• His breakout film role came in 2004 with the huge success of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. One year later, Carell would headline his own comedy with the Judd Apatow-directed The 40-Year Old Virgin.
• In 2005, Carell began starring on the NBC sitcom The Office, an American remake of the hit BBC comedy starring Ricky Gervais. He stayed with the show until 2011.
• He was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar in 2015 for his dramatic performance in Foxcatcher.

Steve Carell on TV:

After a series of small and guest-starring roles through the '90s, Carell was cast on the ABC sketch comedy series The Dana Carvey Show in 1996. The show featured tons of early talent (from the likes of Louis C.K., Robert Smigel and Bob Odenkirk), but lasted only 13 episodes on the air.

Three years later, he joined The Daily Show and became a breakout star, staying with the show until 2005.

After leaving The Daily Show, Carell was cast as the lead in the U.S. remake of The Office. The NBC sitcom was a critical and commercial hit, winning Carell awards and making him a household name. He left the show in 2011 after seven seasons and started doing movies full time.

Select Steve Carell Filmography:

• Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
• The 40-Year Old Virgin (2005)
• Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
• Evan Almighty (2007)
• Dan in Real Life (2007)
• Get Smart (2008)
• Date Night (2010)
• Dinner for Schmucks (2010)
• Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
• Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)
• The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013)
• Foxcatcher (2015)

Additional Steve Carell Facts:

• Also in Carell's cast at Second City was Stephen Colbert, who acted as Carell's understudy. The two would later work together again on both The Dana Carvey Show and as anchors on The Daily Show.
• Carell auditioned for Saturday Night Live in the mid-'90s, but lost the spot to Will Ferrell. Carell's wife, Nancy Walls, joined the cast with Ferrell.
• He won a Golden Globe and was nominated for six Emmy Awards for his work on The Office.
• He also won the Funniest Male award at the Spike Guy's Choice Awards in 2008.
• In addition to his starring roles in movies, Carell has provided voices for several successful animated children's films such as Horton Hears a Who!, Over the Hedge and Despicable Me.
• He and his wife own a general store in Massachusetts.