Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
The world might always remember Steve Carell for his iconic yet frustrating role inThe Officeas Michael Scott. However, after leaving the sitcom at the end of the seventh season, the actor chose to break away from his comedic roles and dive into his darkest role ever. In 2014, he ended up portraying the convicted murderer, John Eleuthère du Pont in Bennett Miller’sFoxcatcher.
The 62-year-old actor’s unrecognizable transformation into the disturbed and sinister du Pont was a departure from his typical lighthearted characters. In fact, even his longtime friend and TV show host, Jon Stewart, was taken aback by the shift.
Jon Stewart’s thoughts on Steve Carell in Foxcatcher
Back whenSteve Carellwas just starting his career in Hollywood, the actor had the support ofJon StewartandThe Daily Show.With the stars having built quite the bond together, it came as a surprise to the 61-year-old whenThe Officestar took on the role of John du Pont.
In an interview withVariety, Stewart ended up sharing his take on how his friend managed to pull off such a dark role. After all, he and Carell’s fans had gotten used to seeing the star portray more comedic roles in his career.
I always knew that guy was an evil as*hole. Because he can’t be that good an actor, can he?
Stewart joked that there had to be something really wrong with Carell, cause there was just no way that he was just that talented. However, the director of the film, Bennett Miller, just knew that the comedian would be the perfect choice.
In the same interview, Miller ended up explaining,“When people think of Steve Carell, there’s something not dangerous about him, something benign. I think that’s what people thought about John du Pont, as well.”
Steve Carell: ‘It was even a bad joke back then’ on the Most Popular Line in The Office He is Tired of Hearing
The role might have been like something Carell had never done before. However, the director seemed to have complete faith in him. In fact, he did not even require theEvan Almightystar to audition for the role in the first place.
How Steve Carell portrayed John du Pont
In 2014, fans of Steve Carell got to see a whole new side of his acting skills. While the star had been known for his laughter-inducing roles over the years, he chose to switch things up by joining Bennett Miller’s sports thriller,Foxcatcher. Apart from being unlike anything Carell had ever worked on before, the film made the actor undergo a transformation that left him looking unrecognizable.
With anoversized prosthetic nose and layers of pancake makeup that turned his skin pasty, he looked like a completely different person. However, it was his acting that made the role of John du Pont stand out in his resume. During the same interview with Variety, he opened up about his take on the character and the film.
It’s all a very sad story. No one comes out ahead. It’s a Greek tragedy, and very powerful in that way.
With du Pont having committed a murder at the age of 57, Carell admitted that he never saw his character as just a villain. After all, there was a lot to uncover underneath the surface. The actor acknowledged that the world wanted to know how he portrayed such a dark character with such ease.
However, Carell decided not to pull back the curtain on his performance. Instead, the 62-year-old stated,“They’re legitimate questions, but I don’t think you necessarily need to reveal any of it.”
“I think that was this moment”: The Exact Moment Steve Carell Saved The Office When Ratings Were Going Down in The US
Although Carell chose to keep his acting methods to himself, that did not change the fact that the actor managed to go above and beyond for his role in the 2014 film.
Stream Steve Carell’sFoxcatcheron Amazon Prime Video.
Prathika Prashant
Articles Published :192
With over three years of experience in the field of writing, and a knack for storytelling, she dives into the pop culture world to provide fans with insightful updates and engaging narratives worldwide. Her articles add a dash of insightful commentary and a captivating narrative to ensure that readers get the whole story. When she is not working, you can find her browsing new music or going down a rabbit hole of old timey sitcoms and more.
