During a 2016 appearance on Conan, Carell revealed how close he came to losing his breakthrough role in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. As he recalled, the studio shut down production one week into filming due to concerns about Carell’s performance. “They said, ‘We’ve been watching the footage and you look like a serial killer,’” he remembered. “I was so bummed out. I thought, ‘That’s it.’” Luckily, Apatow convinced studio executives to give Carell another chance, and together, they made a classic comedy. The 40-Year-Old Virgin was released in a crucial year for Carell, as he was simultaneously starring in the first season of NBC’s The Office. The success of both comedies opened the door for Carell to land leading parts in Crazy, Stupid, Love, Date Night and The Way, Way Back. Carell ventured into

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