Steve Carell and John Krasinski go way back. The pair developed a close-knit relationship while they were part of The Office‘s cast, which was a huge launching pad for both of their careers. Even though Carell left the show in 2011, he still stayed close with his co-stars, including Krasinski. It’s been over 10 years since the beloved sitcom aired its last episode on NBC and, now, the duo are reuniting for Krasinski’s fourth directorial film, IF. While the Jack Ryan actor expected the laughs to flow with this reunion, apparently the collaboration was quite emotional.
The actor/director recently chatted with SlashFilm about his upcoming film, which is about Imaginary Friends, who deal with being disowned by the kids they helped. IF has an all-star cast that’s led by Ryan Reynolds, and features voice work from actors like Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Matt Damon, and of course, Steve Carell. This marks the first time Carell and John Krasinski have collaborated on a project together since The Office and, according to the A Quiet Place star, the reunion was very tearful, He spoke of the experience, which included a sweet moment initiated by Carrell:
As much fun as it was to work with him, the most powerful part about it was he came in with the most heartfelt speech about how proud he is of me to be making movies. He said in reading the script, ‘I’m just so honored to be a part of it. I’ll do whatever it takes.’ So when I thought that I would be laughing all day, I was crying all day.
This probably meant a lot to the A-lister to have one of his good friends and longtime collaborators sign on for the film. I wouldn’t be surprised if the former Jim Halpert actor even looks up to his buddy. After all, Steve Carell had a thriving comedy career prior to The Office, where as for John Krasinski, the sitcom gave him his breakthrough role. After the NBC hit ended, Carell expanded into serious roles outside of comedy in movies with the likes of Foxcatcher, The Big Short and Beautiful Boy. Krasinski has followed suit, taking on roles like 13 Hours and A Quiet Place. He’s since become a director and deserves plenty of praise from Carrell and more, as A Quiet Place is one of the best horror movies in the last decade.
Hearing how complementary the Despicable Me star was towards his director and former co-star is sure to bring a smile to fans’ faces. Krasinski’s reluctant salesman, Jim, often grew annoyed with Carell’s overly enthusiastic Michael Scott. However, over the course of the show, the two developed a unique bond, and their tearful goodbye at the end of Season 7 was one of the most emotional moments in the entirety of the show. Hearing how strong the actors’ relationship is in real life is truly heartwarming.
Another collaboration between these two mega talents is long overdue so, hopefully, IF is a launching pad for more Krasinski/Carell projects. They’re both busy people, with Krasinski starring in Guy Richie’s next film, Fountain of Youth, and Carell making his Broadway debut in Uncle Vanya this spring. However, these two appear to love collaborating, and that could spark their desire to link up for another project or two down the line.
You can check out Steve Carell giving another iconic voice acting performance in John Krasinski’s IF, which releases in theaters on May 17th as part of the 2024 movie schedule. You can also check out the actors’ work on The Office, which currently is available in its entirety for Peacock subscribers.
