For years, Steve Carell has been making audiences laugh till they cry with his brilliant performances in both film and television. More than comedy, however, Carell is an actor that has the ability to play an insanely funny and ridiculous character in one project and then star in a serious drama in the next. Despite how much his characters range, one consistency in all of his work is that, no matter what, you can count on him to give a truthful and exciting performance.
One of Carell’s most beloved performances is that of Michael Scott, the hilarious and at times extremely irritating regional manager from the hit sitcom The Office, which aired from 2005 to 2013 with a total of nine seasons. The show was an instant success earning a total of 27 Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Alongside Carell stars the incredible Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, and John Krasinski (with whom Carell will be reuniting in the Paramount movie If). Since his days on The Office, Carell has built an incredible filmography: from his dramatic work in Beautiful Boy and Foxcatcher to his return to comedy in Netflix’s Space Force, whose season 2 trailer arrived last month. With the actor returning to our screens in Space Force’s newest season, here’s a look at Steve Carell’s best performances, ranked.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
8 The 40-Year-Old Virgin
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 The Big Short
To say The Big Short has an incredible cast is an understatement. The amount of stars in this film is overwhelmingly impressive: Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, Jeremy Strong, Finn Wittrock, Marissa Tomei, Margot Robbie, and, of course, Steve Carell. Adam McKay is a comedy genius and directed this comedy/drama brilliantly; he was even nominated for his first Academy Award for Best Director in 2016 for this film. Although he lost to Alejandro González Iñárritu for his work on The Revenant, McKay did win the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay that year.
6 Battle of the Sexes
Emma Stone and Steve Carell shine in Battle of the Sexes, which is based on the real tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs that quickly became the most watched televised sports event ever. Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton worked together to direct the sports drama that gained great success and critical acclaim. Despite the fact that both Stone and Carell were snubbed at the Oscars in 2018, not receiving any nominations for their performances, this movie is definitely a must-watch.
5 Crazy Stupid Love
Although Carell has proven time and time again that he can excel in dramas and has done great work in a wide range of genres, we all know that comedy is where he shines the most. Crazy Stupid Love is a hilarious film that follows a recently divorced man learning to live life again as a single guy and attempting to get back in the game with the help of the smooth Jacob Palmer (played by Ryan Gosling). This is the first film Carell got to work on with his future Battle of the Sexes co-star Emma Stone, and it’s one of the first times Stone got to work with her future La La Land co-star Ryan Gosling.
4 Foxcatcher
Foxcatcher is one of the most important roles of Carell’s career as it earned him is first ever Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Based on a true story, Carell plays John Du Pont, a very wealthy man who is attempting to put a team together for the 1988 Olympics, but ends up leading his wrestlers down a dark road. This sports drama is the most acclaimed work Carell has done and in addition to its Best Actor nomination, the film was nominated for Best Supporting Actor (for Mark Ruffalo), Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the Oscars in 2015. The physical transformation Steve Carell went through to become this character with the help of makeup and prosthetics is incredible.
3 Beautiful Boy
This heartbreaking and emotional film based on the true story of Nicolas Sheff and his father is told beautifully by Timothée Chalamet and Steve Carell. Nic (Chalamet) is a drug-abuser whose addiction is turning his entire life upside down. His father, played by Carell, does everything in his power to try and protect his son from this tragic fate, and ultimately save Nic. This role in Beautiful Boy was a breakout performance for Timothée Chalamet, alongside Call Me By Your Name, who has since gone on to star in major films and is kicking off his wildly successful career.
2 Little Miss Sunshine
At it’s core, Little Miss Sunshine is a story about family and is the epitome of a feel-good movie. The acting is incredible as it stars not only Steve Carell, but Abigal Breslin, Paul Dano, Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, and Alan Arkin who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Grandpa Edwin in the film. There are so many iconic lines in the movie as well as emotional and hilarious moments that we still think about today even over 15 years after its initial release.
1 The Office
Coming in at number one on the list of the best Steve Carell performances is, of course, his portrayal of the world’s best boss, Michael Scott, in The Office. This character and series mean so much to millions of people around the world; the imprint it left on American television is incredible. Alongside Carell, the show stars Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, and Rainn Wilson who all play employees at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. The show was a hit for all nine of its seasons and is still as popular as ever today. With the help of streaming services, die hard fans and new audiences can all still watch the show and reminisce. The Office is a masterpiece and there is no one more perfect for the role of Michael Scott than Steve Carell.
