Anyone who’s followed along with Steve Carell’s career knows that 2004 and 2005 were huge years for him. After working as a correspondent on The Daily Show since 1999, he was cast as Brick Tamland in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, then in the following year, he started playing Michael Scott in The Office, as well as wrote, executive produced and starred in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Carell’s popularity quickly skyrocketed, and as it turned out, The 40-Year-Old Virgin originated from an A+ comedy sketch that he pitched director Judd Apatow during the making of Anchorman.
Apatow, who both helmed The 40-Year-Old Virgin and co-wrote the script with Carell, shared this information while reflecting on the comedy movie turning 20 years old. Carell already knew Apatow from the latter having produced Anchorman, and it was during that shoot that he was asked to come up with feature ideas. As Apatow recalled to THR:
