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The Office is one of the most beloved TV shows of the last 20 years, but it could have looked a lot different if Steve Carell had listened to one of his famous friends who warned him against auditioning for the workplace mockumentary.
During an appearance on the Tuesday (March 24) episode of Amy Poehler's Good Hang podcast, Carell, who played Michael Scott for seven seasons on The Office, revealed that Paul Rudd once "pulled [him] aside" to urge him not to audition for the project, per Page Six.
"[Rudd] was like, 'Don't do it, man. Don't audition,'" he said. "It was like, 'There is no way.'"
Even Poehler could see where the Anchorman actor was coming from, replying, "I'm sure. Everyone was like, 'Don't even touch this.'"
Some of the apprehension may have stemmed from the fact that there was already a U.K. version of The Office starring Ricky Gervais that aired for two seasons and was beloved by fans. Speaking to Poehler, Carell explained that he didn't watch more than "a minute" of the show before his own audition so it wouldn't influence how he played Michael Scott.
"[Gervais] was so good and so specific and so funny, I thought, 'If I watch a second more, I'm just gonna go on an audition with that,'" he said. "I won't be able to imagine it a different way."
Despite the warnings, Carell took the chance and auditioned, ultimately securing the role as the lovable and infuriating regional manager for the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company and remaining on the show until his departure in season seven. The series aired two more seasons until its finale in 2013.