“They said I looked like a serial killer.” Steve Carell scared the major studio to the point that it shut down filming
The set of the hit movie with Steve Carell was shut down after a week of work because the studio thought that the actor looked creepy in the scenes shot so far.
Steve Carell is regarded as a great comedic actor. He has brilliant comedic timing and knows how to make viewers laugh. Audiences love him, however, there was a moment in his career when his Hollywood dream could have been lost. At that time, the world would not have been able to see how good Steve Carell is and would not have received a hit like The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
And all just because of one of his best films. As Carell confessed during an interview with Esquire, when the producers at Universal Pictures looked at the footage that had been produced so far a week after work began on The 40-Year-Old Virgin, they had serious reservations about it. And so much so that they shut down production of the movie they had previously been so quick to purchase.
The dailies of my character just looked too creepy. They said I looked like a serial killer.
Apparently, after a week of shooting, Universal Pictures began to regret the quick purchase. Nevertheless, Carell and Judd Apatow, the film's director, were not about to give up. They convinced the studio that they had not yet filmed the heartfelt scenes that would make audiences love The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
Thanks to the tenacity of the actor and director, the film did not end up in the trash. The production managed to finish and proved that the concept, which many might have doubted, and the apparently initially disturbing-looking Carell, were able to make the audience love them and The 40-Year-Old Virgin was a success, just look at the numbers. The film's $26 million budget more than paid for itself, as the production earned $177 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). In addition, on Rotten Tomatoes, The 40-Year-Old Virgin is recommended by 85% of critics and 84% of viewers.