Steve Carell Candidly Explains Why He Left The Office

After creating one of the most memorable sitcom characters of all time, many fans wonder why Steve Carell left The Office. Although it was adapted from a British series, the American version of The Office helped to popularize many of the tropes and character types in workplace sitcoms. That is perhaps most true of Michael Scott (played by Carell), a bumbling boss who had his share of shining moments but was more frequently remembered for his comedic blunders. Michael was foundational to the success of the show, and his absence was felt when the character exited in season 7.

While there were a number of key cast members who left The Office by the end of the series, Carell was the first and most significant loss. Though the show was very much an ensemble, Michael Scott was clearly the center of the series and the funniest character. Carell went on to have a successful movie career since leaving the series, mixing both comedy and dramatic roles, but his departure wasn’t just based on wanting to move on.

Steve Carell’s Reason For Leaving The Office

Carell Felt It Was Time For The Ensemble To Shine

During an interview on the Office Ladies podcast, Carell told hosts and former Office co-stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey about why he left the show even though it was “very emotional.” Carell felt it was time for the show’s other characters to step into the spotlight and have their storylines become the focus. In the quote below, Carell discusses how the farewell episodes were structured in a way that was impactful both on-screen and off.

“It was time for other characters to step to the forefront and other storylines to be pursued. I think it was the right… the timing was right, I think for everybody but simultaneously there’s just a sense of joy for me that we had experienced all of this and we were getting… I was getting a chance to take a lap with everybody. And the way those last two episodes were structured, it felt very rich to me to simultaneously be saying goodbye as Michael and us as friends in this moment of work together. But, yeah, it was a lot, it was a very emotional thing.”

Carell has an interesting point about how the show almost needed Michael to leave in order to let the rest of the cast shine. The show had an incredible ensemble with each one of the quirky employees of Dunder-Mifflin’s Scranton office adding something special to the series. However, Michael was such an entertaining character that the show could rely on him too often. Once he was gone, the entire cast could be used to fill that void. But while the idea was a good one, the results were mixed.

Did The Office Recover From Carell’s Exit?

The Remaining Seasons Of The Office Were Missing A Key Aspect

The Office handled Steve Carell’s departure smartly by making Michael Scott’s absence somewhat central to the stories that happened next. The subsequent episodes put a particular focus on Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) as he attempted to rise to the role of regional manager. It also highlighted the memorable Robert California (James Spader), the CEO of the printer company that owns Dunder Mifflin.

By the time Carell made his exit, The Office was already nearing its end. It would go on for two more seasons, which largely were seen as being unrepresentative of the comedy’s best work and an overall decline. Even though this is the consensus, both for critics and viewers of The Office, there’s less agreement over whether the decline is caused by the lack of Michael Scott or if it would have happened regardless.

In some ways, Carrell’s hope for what his departure would accomplish came true as the show turned to its talented ensemble. Some of the characters who fared better in these seasons include Dwight, Darryl, Erin, and Oscar, all of whom got larger and better storylines at the center of the show. The trouble inevitably came with trying to replace Michael as Andy was the original choice, only for the show to fumble the character for two seasons, unsure of what kind of “wacky boss” he should be.

The final season of The Office found its footing more and even took risks. The romance of Jim and Pam had been a central part of the series from the beginning and the final season explored what it looked like when the seemingly perfect couple experienced problems in their marriage. While not all fans enjoyed the new direction, it gave the final season an interesting focus that was very much needed.

It all led to the finale, which included Michael’s return to The Office for a final goodbye. While Carell coming back could have stolen the spotlight for the entire last episode, the show handled it well, giving fans a satisfying cameo but letting the cast share the spotlight together.

Steve Carell Made The Right Decision In Leaving The Office

Carell Has Had A Successful Movie Career & Shown His Acting Versatility

Steve Carell’s Notable Post-The Office Projects

Steve Carell became a star thanks to The Office and it is always risky for an actor to leave a hit show when it is still so popular. However, Carell’s exit has proven to be the ideal move for the actor. Not only did the show end after two more lackluster seasons, but Carell’s career after the sitcom has been exceptional.

While Carell was still on the show, he starred in several hit comedy movies, like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Get Smart, and Date Night. With that solid base of popular hits to his name, Carell was able to easily transition out of his television work and into some other high-profile movie roles. Following his exit from The Office, Carell took the lead role in the rom-com Crazy, Stupid, Love, alongside the likes of Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, and Emma Stone. He also continued voicing Gru in the Despicable Me movies, which would go on to become a billion-dollar franchise.

Carell’s post-The Office career also allowed him to show new sides of his talents. While on The Office, Carell had starred in several more dramatic comedies, like Little Miss Sunshine and Dan in Real Life. He continued to explore these types of roles later in his career in increasingly dramatic films, including The Big Short, Vice, Last Flag Flying, and Beautiful Boy. In the same year that The Office ended, Carell earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his chilling performance in Foxcatcher.

While there are a lot of fans who would love to see Carell return as Michael Scott in The Office spinoff series, the actor has already paved a great new career for himself, including some acclaimed returns to television. His follow-up sitcom Space Force may have disappointed, but Carell showed more dramatic skills in the television landscape opposite Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon in The Morning Show. He will also return to more comedic territory on the small screen with his upcoming role in Four Seasons, alongside Tina Fey.