Steve Carell biography, wife, net worth, height, age, kids, young 2025

Steve Carell's biography

Steven John Carell is a beloved comedian, TV producer, screenwriter, and director who's won numerous prestigious awards, including the Golden Globe, Gotham, Film Independent Spirit, Hollywood Film Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards, plus Oscar, Emmy, and MTV Movie & TV Award nominations. Net worth: $80 million.

Among his fifty-plus film and TV credits, Carell has excelled in both comedy roles (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Evan Almighty, The Office, Crazy, Stupid, Love) and dramatic performances that showcase his impressive range (Foxcatcher, The Big Short, Last Flag Flying).

In 2016 Steve Carell received the cherished nominal star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

In 2011, he earned about $15 million, landing third on Forbes' list of highest-paid TV actors in the United States (behind Charlie Sheen with $40 million and Ray Romano with $20 million).

Childhood and youth

The future star was born on August 16, 1962, in Concord, near Boston, Massachusetts. He was the youngest of four sons born to electrical engineer Edwin Carell and Harriet Theresa (née Koch), a psychiatric clinic nurse. His father has German and Italian heritage, while his mother is of Polish descent. His mother's brother, his uncle Stanley Koch, was engaged in research to improve cathode-ray tubes with the famous scientist and inventor Allan B. Dumont.

Steven attended The Fenn School for boys, Nashoba Brooks, and Middlesex co-ed schools. During those years, he dreamed of becoming a radio announcer, participated in school plays, and loved playing hockey and lacrosse.

Steve Carell was the goalkeeper of the school's hockey team

After high school, he enrolled at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, as a history major. At university, he joined Burpee's Seedy Theatrical Company, a student-run improv comedy troupe, performing in various original shows. Throughout college, he also served as goalie for the hockey team and DJ'd at the campus radio station.

In his youth Steve Carell turned a penny as a mail carrier

After graduating in 1984, he considered pursuing law school. But during his interview, he admits he couldn't articulate why he wanted to become a lawyer. He spent about six months working as a mail carrier before performing at a children's theater.

Acting career

In 1986, Steve and his friends decided to move to Chicago, where he began working at Theater Building Chicago, notably performing in the Knat Scatt Private Eye musical. In 1989 he appeared in a TV commercial for Brown's Chicken restaurant chain. The young actor was then invited to join the Second City theater troupe, where he performed in numerous plays and earned two Jefferson Prize nominations.

Steve Carell in the Brown's Chicken commercial. His first appearance on TV

The talented young actor caught filmmakers' attention, and in 1991 he made his screen debut with a small role in Curly Sue alongside James Belushi. He was invited to various entertainment shows (Dana Carvey Show, Funny Girl, Just Shoot Me!). He also appeared in several miniseries, including Over the Top and Come to Papa. From 1999 to 2005, he played a correspondent on the satirical TV show The Daily Show, which parodied news and analysis programs.

In 2003, the actor played Evan in the fantasy comedy Bruce Almighty, starring Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman, and Jennifer Aniston. The following year, he appeared in four films, including Woody Allen's comedy-drama Melinda and Melinda.

Steve starred in two major films in 2005: Bewitched, alongside Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, and Michael Caine, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, where he brilliantly brought the lead character to life. This comedy melodrama was an incredible success among moviegoers and was included in the Top 10 best romantic comedies of the year by the American Film Institute. The film grossed over $177 million against a $26 million budget.

That same year, the comedian landed the lead role of Michael in The Office, an American adaptation of the British sitcom. The series, which followed the daily lives of employees at a fictional company, proved as successful as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, with Carell's growing popularity significantly boosting its ratings. His salary jumped from $70,000 per episode in the first season to $180,000 by the fourth season.

While working on The Office in 2006, the actor also played Frank, Sheryl's suicidal brother struggling with heartbreak, in the comedy-drama Little Miss Sunshine. The premiere of the film at the Sundance Festival ended with a standing ovation from the public. That same year, he provided voice work for the animated film Over the Hedge alongside Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Nick Nolte, and Avril Lavigne.

Steve Carell in the Evan Almighty

2007 brought four new Steve Carell projects, including the comedy Evan Almighty (a sequel to Bruce Almighty), where his character, TV host Baxter, builds an ark on God's orders (Morgan Freeman).

In 2008, Carell landed the lead role of Agent 86 in the action-comedy Get Smart, a remake of the 1960s TV series. He starred alongside Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, and Bill Murray in the international production. With a budget of $80 million, the film collected $264 million.

Steve Carell and Tina Fey in the Date Night

In 2010, fans saw Carell take center stage in two compelling films: Date Night, where he starred opposite Tina Fey, and Dinner for Schmucks.

Interview with Steve Carell

That same year, he voiced supervillain Gru in Universal's animated hit Despicable Me, playing the mastermind who steals the Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower. The film earned $56 million in its opening weekend domestically. Overall, it grossed over $543 million worldwide against a $69 million budget.

In 2011, Carell headlined the romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love. The star ensemble cast also includes Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Kevin Bacon.

Steve Carell with Keira Knightley in the Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

The following year, Carell starred opposite Keira Knightley in the comedy-drama Seeking a Friend for the End of the World and and appeared in the dramedy Hope Springs with Meryl Streep.

In 2013 several film productions were released starring Steve Carell

2013 saw Carell appear in several new releases. In the coming-of-age dramedy The Way, Way Back, which won Best Picture and Best USA Feature at the Newport Film Festival, he played the cruel stepfather of a 14-year-old boy.

Steve Carell in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone comedy

In the comedy The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, he played a veteran magician facing off against a rival performer (Jim Carrey). He also appeared in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, the sitcom Web Therapy, and Despicable Me 2.

Steve Carell in the Foxcatcher (trailer)

The real-life drama Foxcatcher with Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum as wrestling brothers saw Carell transform into eccentric millionaire John du Pont, earning him widespread acclaim in 2014 and nominations for the Oscar, Golden Globe, and other major film awards.

The Big Short stands out among Carell's 2015 projects, further proving his range as a dramatic actor. He starred alongside Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, and Christian Bale as one of the financial analysts who profited from the 2007-2008 mortgage crisis. The film earned him National Board of Review and Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association awards for Best Cast, plus nominations for the Golden Globe, Critics Choice, and Screen Actors Guild awards.

In 2016, the versatile actor received his coveted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

That same year, he appeared in Woody Allen's comedy Café Society, playing a prominent film producer. He starred alongside Jesse Eisenberg as his character's nephew and Kristen Stewart as his girlfriend.

Steve Carell and Emma Stone in the Battle of the Sexes picture

In 2017, besides voicing Gru in the animated sequel Despicable Me 3, he starred in the British-American comedy-drama Battle of the Sexes as tennis player Bobby Riggs, who famously lost to Billie Jean King (Emma Stone), the world's second-ranked player.

Steve Carell in the Last Flag Flying (trailer)

That same year, he played former military doctor Larry in the war drama Last Flag Flying, reuniting with old colleagues Sal (Brian Cranston) and Richard (Lawrence Fishburn) 30 years later to bury his son who died in Iraq.

In 2018, the drama Beautiful Boy premiered worldwide, based on David Sheff's bestselling memoir Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction. The film follows a father (Steve) struggling with guilt over his son's drug addiction (Timothée Chalamet). Along with his ex-wife (Amy Ryan), putting past grievances aside, he fights to save his son from addiction.

Steve Carell realizes himself also in dramatic cinema

He also starred in the drama Welcome to Marwen, based on true tragic events. He plays the lead role of a man who survived a brutal assault. The attack left him with severe amnesia. To aid his recovery, he builds a miniature World War II village called Marwen in his backyard, populated with puppet characters representing imaginary friends.

Some premieres are scheduled for release in 2018 starring Steve Carell

Also in 2018, Vice premiered with the actor in a key role. The film chronicles the political rise of Republican Dick Cheney (Christian Bale), arguably the most powerful vice president in US history. Carell plays Donald Rumsfeld, former United States Secretary of Defense.

Steve Carell's personal life

The actor is happily married. He met his future wife Nancy Walls while working with the Chicago Second City theater troupe, where he taught acting classes alongside his main work, and she was his student. Their wedding took place in August 1995.

His wife has appeared alongside him in The Daily Show, played a small role as real estate agent Carol Stills in The Office, and portrayed Linda, the wife of Dodge Petersen (played by her real-life husband Steve) in the film Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, among other collaborative projects.

The couple lives in Los Angeles and has two children: daughter Elizabeth Ann, born in 2001, and son John, born in 2004.

In February 2009, the actor bought the Marshfield Hills General Store in Marshfield, Massachusetts, which sells a wide variety of goods - from candy and toys to gifts and spirits.

Steve Carell nowadays

Steve Carell continues to appear in films and TV series. In 2019, "The Morning Show" premiered on Apple TV+, with the actor starring as Mitch Kessler. The show received critical acclaim and was renewed for additional seasons.

In 2020, the new comedy series "Space Force" premiered on Netflix, with Carell playing the lead role of Army General Mark R. Naird.

Steve Carell: latest news and articles

3 new movies and series coming out from May 29: from a thriller with Elizabeth Banks to a drama with Steve Carell

26 May 2025

Dorothy Ramos

I wish this amazing and wonderful actor many, many more awards, new interesting roles and projects. It`s always nice to see him on screen

2021-05-09 20:09:01
Juan Freeman

True, there is something to think about after the film «Seeking a Friend for the End of the World». I don’t know what I would do in such a situation, but Carell and Knightley created a wonderful acting tandem.

2021-05-07 16:58:18
Linda Shelton

Well, it`s over for me, as a fan of the series «The Office», it was very interesting to read the biography of Steve Carell. I love his character on this sitcom!

2021-05-02 18:35:34
Richard Hayes

As I understand it, Carell did not immediately become an actor, not from his youth. But I am very glad that he tried himself in the cinema and now we can enjoy his ingenious acting.

2021-04-14 08:29:18
Mary Hammond

Oh my God! I love comedy with Steve Carell. For me there is no one funnier and more charismatic!

2021-03-16 16:27:40