Paul Rudd tried to stop Steve Carrell from auditioning for US reboot of The Office

Rudd called the project a ‘bad, bad move’ that would ‘never be as good’ as the UK version

Paul Rudd tried to dissuade Steve Carrell from doing the American reboot of Ricky Gervais’s British sitcom The Office.

This detail was revealed in the new book Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office, co-authored by The Office star Brian Baumgartner (who played Kevin) and executive producer, Ben Silverman.

When Carrell told Rudd he was considering auditioning for Greg Daniels’s US remake, the actor reportedly said: “Ugh, don’t do it. Bad, bad move. I mean, it’s never going to be as good [as the British version].”

In addition to Carrell, comedian Louis CK and actors Bob Odenkirk, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti were considered for the role of paper company Dunder Mifflin’s oddball manager Michael Scott.

Despite skepticism from Rudd, and the studio producing the American remake of the hit British mockumentary, The Office went on to become a huge success.

Nielsen reported that it was the most streamed show in 2020, with a total of 57 billion minutes of it watched last year.

The book, which releases on 16 November, also includes other lesser-known behind-the-scenes moments, the fight to keep The Office on air after an underwhelming first season, and the stories of how John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer were cast as iconic on-screen couple Jim and Pam.

Even though the show went off air in 2013, after an impressive nine-season run considering its shaky start, new details about the American mockumentary continue to pop culture enthusiasts in 2021.

Since it became available for streaming on platforms like Amazon Prime, The Office has also garnered a younger fan following – including singer Billie Eilish, who admitted she has watched the show at least 15 times, during a conversation with Rainn Wilson, who played Krasinski’s on-screen nemesis, Dwight Schrute.

Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office released on 16 November.