“The Office” star Steve Carell moves from the office to a university in “Rooster,” which premieres on HBO Max on March 9. He plays writer Greg, who becomes a teacher to be close to his troubled adult daughter after she separates.
But it's not easy for a 57-year-old man to deal with today's socially conscious students, so part of the humor in the series revolves around how Carell's character and other older men on campus constantly stumble on #MeToo and diversity issues. That might sound a little dangerous in today's political climate, right?
"It's part of our culture and even though it's a very serious subject, I think people can also laugh at certain aspects of it. So, no, I don't think it can be considered controversial," Carell says.
No plan
Steve Carell got his big break in the American version of the comedy series “The Office” in the early 2000s, and has since had roles in critically acclaimed films such as “Crazy, Stupid, Love” and “The Big Short.” Last year, he was praised for the satire “Mountainhead,” a film about megalomaniacal tech billionaires.
But now he is back in the comedy world, lured back by Bill Lawrence, who created "Rooster".
"I don't have a direct long-term plan for my career, for better or worse. It's always about the offers I get and the people I get to work with, the scripts that feel good," says Carell.
"Ted Lasso" creator
Bill Lawrence is the man behind classic comedy series like "Spin City", "Scrubs" and "Ted Lasso".
"In this case, we have a lot in common. We both have daughters who are about the same age and have a lot of thoughts about the father-daughter relationship," says Carell.
The character in “Rooster” is a writer of simple suspense fiction who is widely read but does not receive awards. Steve Carell admits that it could be seen as a parallel to how little recognition is given to comedic actors compared to dramatic ones.
"Well, I can see the parallel. But I don't think I'm in that situation and I don't think that way about what I've accomplished, because it just gets weird..."
"Because if you start thinking about what people think of you and start caring about it, you lose control of what you're doing. It's about trusting your own instincts."
Age: 62.
Family: Wife and two children.
Background: Comedian on the TV show "The Daily Show", 1999–2005. His first major film roles were in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" before his breakthrough in the TV series "The Office".
Other major film roles, selected: "Little Miss Sunshine", "Crazy, Stupid, Love", "The Big Short", "Vice", "Asteroid City" and "Mountainhead", as well as the television series "The Morning Show", "Space Force", "The Patient" and "Fyra Ärstider".
