“I never saw him as a villain”: The Office Star Steve Carell’s Bombshell Revelation on First Ever Oscar Nomination Role

"I never saw him as a villain": The Office Star Steve Carell's Bombshell Revelation on First Ever Oscar Nomination Role
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Steve Carell, the actor known for his iconic portrayal of Michael Scott in The Office, has always been a comedic character. To break this stigma, Carell took it upon himself to prove to everyone his worth by starring in one of the most serious roles of his career,

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Starring in the 2014 film titled Foxcatcher, Steve Carell portrayed the role of convicted killer John du Pont. The actor received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role for this movie and fans were shocked because they had never seen Carell as a villain!

Steve Carell in Foxcatcher (2014).
Steve Carell in Foxcatcher (2014).

Steve Carell Never Looked Like A Villain!

Portraying the character of Michael Scott in The Office which ran from 2005 to 2013. Having portrayed a comedic role for over 9 seasons, a stigma developed that Steve Carell could not portray serious roles.

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Well, on a quest to prove everyone wrong, Carell took on the role of convicted killer John du Pont in the 2014 movie Foxcatcher. The role was quite serious in nature but Carell portrayed it so beautifully that he received an Oscar nomination. The actor was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Oscars 2015 for Foxcatcher and that changed people’s perspective on how the Despicable me actor is truly blessed.

Steve Carell
Steve Carell

Also read: How Steve Carell Got So Ripped That $177M Movie Was Shut Down as He Looked Like a Serial Killer: “The studio was freaking out”

In an interview with The Guardian, Carell addressed the role of John du Pont and stated that he never saw du Pont as a villain. As per the actor, du Pont did not have the tools to do what needed to be done and Steve Carell wanted to portray it that way.

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“I never saw him as a villain, and I didn’t want to depict him in that way. He was someone who didn’t possess the tools to achieve what he wanted out of life.”

The interview further revealed that Carell did not actually apply for the role of John du Pont but it was actually his casting agent who made the call.

Suggested: After Amassing $80,000,000 Fortune, Steve Carell Left ‘The Office’ for the Most Selfless Reason

Steve Carell Was Also Surprised With His Selection In Foxcatcher

Steve Carell in The Office
Steve Carell in The Office

Related: “It’s horrifying to him”: Steve Carell Defended His Version of Michael Scott from The Office, Claimed He Was Not a Mean Guy After Making $7M Per Year Salary

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In the interview, Carell further revealed that he did not know that he was being considered for the role of John du Pont. As per the actor, his agent had apparently put him forward without telling him and Bennett Miller saw the potential.

“He saw in me the potential to do something I hadn’t done before. Bennett says I have a benign public persona, and Du Pont did too. I think that’s why he cast me.”

With a high rating of 7/10 on IMDB and a whopping 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, Steve Carell’s Foxcatcher was nominated for 5 Oscars. The 2014 movie is available to rent on Apple TV+.

Source: The Guardian

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Written by Visarg Acharya

Articles Published: 2085

Visarg Acharya, Associate Content Writer, has been heavily involved in movies, series, and history. Having an experience of 2 years in the field of content writing, Visarg is a seasoned writer. Having a degree in Physics, Visarg Acharya has published a dissertation alongside a plethora of poems and short stories along the way.