Steve Carell never quite embraced the title "Crazy, Stupid, Love" for the 2011 romantic comedy. In fact, the star of "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" revealed that coming up with a name for the project was an unexpectedly challenging task.
"I never liked that title," he told Entertainment Tonight in an interview published on March 4th. "But when Dan Fogelman wrote it, he didn't give it a title. It was just called 'Untitled Dan Fogelman Project.'"
Despite everyone having their own ideas for a title, none of them seemed to capture the essence of the film. As a result, Warner Bros. stepped in and settled on "Crazy, Stupid, Love." Steve recalled his reaction being a mere "Alright."
Fortunately, the movie became a critical and commercial hit, proving to Steve that the title wasn't necessarily the key to its success. "I'm convinced that if it's good and people like it, they'll like the title," he shared. "It doesn't matter what you call it."
Of course, Steve has played many fan-favorite roles over the years, perhaps none more celebrated than his portrayal of Michael Scott on "The Office." In fact, the actor still finds himself amazed by the NBC comedy's diverse fan base, especially its younger viewers.
"I think it's funny how young people are when they first start watching 'The Office'," he told NBC Insider in June 2024. "It was always a surprise to me because I never thought it would be appealing to a younger audience."
However, Steve eventually realized that the show's quirky characters didn't just mirror viewers' experiences in the workplace. "I think part of it is that each of the characters is an archetype that can be translated to people that they know in school," he explained. "They're all people that you can identify with—whether you've ever worked in an office or whether you've just associated with these people in school."
