Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Steve Carell’sThe 40-Year-Old Virginis often regarded as one of the funniest films of the 2000s and was instrumental in introducing many future stars. Judd Apatow’s directorial debut saw Carell leading a film for the first time and also featured Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Catherine Keener, Romany Malco, Leslie Mann, and Elizabeth Banks.
The film was reportedly based on a sketch that Carell had envisioned while he was performing improv comedy with the Chicago-based troupe The Second City. He mentioned that he pitched the idea as a last-minute ditch attempt after talking about multiple ideas with Apatow. He also said that the film was greenlit in a few weeks.
Steve Carell’s Legendary Comedy Was Based On A Sketch He Envisioned Years Ago
BeforeSteve Carellbecame the most adorable supervillain Gru and the world’s best boss, Michael Scott, he was a struggling actor working as a comedian. He had his breakthrough with the filmAnchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, where he had a supporting role as the clueless weatherman Brick Tamland.
Steve Carell on His Most Unhinged Role After Michael Scott in $26M Movie With Toni Collette: ‘I think his methods were misguided’
Judd Apatow was reportedly a producer on the film and was so impressed by Carell’s performance that he invited him to pitch ideas for a film with him in the lead. The resulting film was the cult comedyThe 40-Year-OldVirgin, which became a huge success and propelled Apatow and Carell into global stardom.
Carell mentioned in an appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallonthat they discussed several ideas for a feature film but got nowhere. However, Carell still had one idea that he had created while he was performing with The Second City in Chicago but had never made it into the show. He said,
There was one character I was working on, and it was a poker scene. The guy and all of his friends are talking about s*x and they’re trying to regale each other with all these stories of sexual conquest. My guy didn’t have any sort of context, no frame of reference, and obviously was trying to lie.
This idea reportedly becameThe 40-Year-Old Virgin, which was also Apatow’s directorial debut. The filmmaker confirmed the events in a separate interview withVanity Fair.
Judd Apatow Never Said ‘Cut’ While FilmingThe 40-Year-Old Virgin
Judd Apatow’sfilms and shows are best known for their improvisational nature. Maybe because of his background in stand-up comedy and improv theater, Apatow also hired actors who were good at coming up with lines on the fly like Seth Rogen, Steve Carell, Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, and more.
Steve Carell: ‘It was emotional torture’ on the Hardest Episode of The Office He Filmed That Was Hard to Watch
Catherine Keener, who played Trish inThe 40-Year-Old Virgin, revealed that Apatow would rarely yell cut while on set and they would just keep burning through film rolls to capture the actors improvising. She said in an interview withNPR,
Judd, he never really would even say cut. He would just say reload. I mean, we just burn right through a whole – they call them mags, magazines, film because everyone was just wildly improvising. It was hysterically funny.
She also mentioned that everyone on set would give real-time feedback and recounted how she made Seth Rogen laugh one day.
The 40-Year-Old Virginis currently available to stream on Apple TV+.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2416
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
More from Nishanth A
Transformers Star Is Absolutely Right on Why He Rejected ‘The Penguin’
5 Bella Ramsey Performances So Good, You’ll Forget ‘The Last of Us’ Controversy
What Is Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Episode 7 About? ‘What Is Starfleet’ – Everything We Know
Recommended
Did Dustin Hoffman Really Slap Meryl Streep in Kramer vs Kramer – Entire Fight Explained
Helldivers 2 Major Order Update: Arrowhead’s Last-Minute Assist Helps Complete Impossible Charger Challenge
Real Reason Why Minx on Starz Will Not Return for Season 3
Honey Don’t! Cast: Is Chris Evans Playing a Villain in Margaret Qualley’s Upcoming August 22 Release
NYT Wordle Hints and Solution for July 16, 2025
‘Blue Beetle’ Turns Two: James Gunn’s DCU Has Forgotten Him But These 4 DC Shows Did Him Proud
Judd ApatowSteve Carell
