Trivia

The scene in The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), where Andy has his chest hair removed, required five cameras set up for the shot. It was Carell's real chest hair which was ripped out in the scene. Carell told director Judd Apatow just before shooting the scene: "It has to be real. It won't be as funny if it's mocked up or if it's special effect. You have to see that this is really happening." The scene had to be done in one shot.

When he attended the premiere for Bruce Almighty (2003), he came to the screening with the impression that his scenes were left on the cutting-room floor. However, his scenes were in the film, and he was pleasantly surprised.

Originally wanted to be a lawyer, but he reached a question on an application form that said, "Why do you want to be a lawyer?". He could not think of anything.

Worked the overnight shift in a Store 24 in Maynard, Massachusetts, and takes many of his characters from this experience.

Owns and operates the Marshfield Hills General Store in Marshfield, Massachusetts, where he has a summer home.

Was on three failed sitcoms before he starred on NBC's version of the sitcom The Office (2005).

Worked for a brief period at a post office in Massachusetts where he delivered mail using his own car since the post office did not have mail carrier vehicles. When he resigned from the position to move to Chicago, for months afterward he continued to find undelivered mail under his car seats.

Married to actress/writer Nancy Carell, whom he met while both were writer/performers with the famed Second City comedy troupe in Chicago, Illinois.

Was once a reporter for The Daily Show (1996).

Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6708 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on January 6, 2016.

Is a member of what the media refers to as the Frat Pack, along with Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson. The Frat Pack name is a reference to the film Old School (2003), featuring Vaughn, Ferrell and Wilson, due to the wide number of films featuring the seven actors. Carell's Frat Pack films include Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), Bewitched (2005) and Melinda and Melinda (2004).

Provides the voice of Gary on "The Ambiguously Gay Duo" cartoons on Saturday Night Live (1975).

His paternal grandfather, Ernest Caroselli, was an Italian emigrant, from Bari, Italy, and his paternal grandmother, Marie G. Egle, was of German ancestry. Steve's maternal grandparents Zigmund Koch and Frances Victoria Tolosky were of Polish origin. Steve's father was born under the surname "Caroselli", which he changed to "Carell" before Steve was born.

As of 2019, he has been in 3 films that were Oscar nominated for Best Picture: Little Miss Sunshine (2006), The Big Short (2015), and Vice (2018).

Has the rare distinction of being in two movies that opened on the same day in the United States - Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) and Sleepover (2004) (July 9, 2004).

Good friends with fellow former The Daily Show (1996) correspondent Stephen Colbert.

Has two children: Elisabeth Anne Carell (b. May 2001) and John Carell (b. June 2004).

Was offered a role in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) with Will Ferrell but could not accept due to scheduling conflicts.

Editor-in-Chief of his high school newspaper, Newton South's "The Lion's Roar".

Is one of 115 people invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in 2007.

Was a member of Burpee's Seedy Theatrical Company, Denison University's improv-comedy group and the oldest collegiate improv group in the country.

Steve Carell references the same quote by Abraham Lincoln in two films. In Dinner for Schmucks "Our countries are not enemies, they are friends" from Lincoln's "We are not enemies, but friends," and in Irresistible "...and appeal to our better angels" which he attributes to Lincoln yet misquotes from Lincoln's "by the better angels of our nature.".

He and Jim Carrey were both ice hockey goalies in their childhood.

Attended and graduated from Denison University in Granville, Ohio (1984).

First rock concert he ever attended featured Jethro Tull.

Grew up in Acton, Massachusetts.

He was nominated for a 1993 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Revue for "Truth, Justice, or the American Way", at the Second City Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

Attended Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts.

Denison Univerisity is not only the alma mater of Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner, it is also the alma mater of Hal Holbrook, John Davidson, John Schuck and Tom Cotter.

He was nominated for a 1994 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Revue for "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been Mellow?", at the Second City Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.