Featured Image Credit: NBC
Topics: The Office, Film and TV
Callum Jones
Everyone has their comfort shows that they watch on repeat - and for a lot of people, The Office is such a show.
And when you've watched a series so many times, you start to notice things you may not have on the previous 49 times you've watched it.
This was the case with the star of the show, Steve Carell, following a major glow-up after the first season.
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I know some of you are probably shouting at your screen now saying you already knew this - but not everyone was in the know.
In fact, the US sitcom never actually addresses why Michael Scott looked so different upon his return to Dunder Mifflin.
Thankfully, the actor's co-stars have since opened up about his makeover and the impact it had on the show.
Carell had a recurring role on The Daily Show prior to joining The Office, while he featured in his first feature film with Bruce Almighty in 2003, later starring in Anchorman in 2004.
But nothing would prepare Carell for the success of The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
Not only would his first lead role as hapless Andy make him a household name, the 2005 film would also have a lasting impact on The Office.
While you may be forgiven for thinking Carell had taken inspiration from Ryan Gosling's character in Crazy Stupid Love, what had actually happened was just an old-fashioned Hollywood glow-up.
According to his castmates, Carell had shot the comic film between seasons one and two of The Office, with the actor cleaning up his image for his first leading role.
Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey even discussed this on their podcast, Office Ladies, saying how noticeable his transformation was.
Kinsey told listeners: “The summer that he was going to film The 40-Year-Old Virgin, he got in crazy amazing shape… and then he’s maintained that.
"He’s very fit now, he sort of, like, made that part of his life. They just made gave him a whole new look too, they zhuzhed him up."
You’d think that this would have only impacted Carell, but the actor’s glow-up actually changed The Office in many ways.
Fischer, who played Pam Beesly in the beloved sitcom, said that producers used Carell’s change in appearance to distance themselves from the UK version of the show.
“Originally his character was based on the British show and the boss there, so they really mirrored his look after David Brent,” she explained on the podcast, adding: “And when Steve came back so much thinner and just looking amazing, they used it as an excuse… he looked great.”
The host then went on to explain that execs were keen to base Michael Scott on ‘what Steve [Carell] was going to bring to the character’.