Carell's breakthrough big screen role was in 2003's as Evan Baxter, the obnoxious TV station rival to Jim Carrey's divinely empowered Bruce Nolan. Promoted to star of the follow-up , an effects- and animals-filled update of Noah's Ark, Carell knew that he had to make Evan more likeable this time around. I figured he had to have mellowed a little bit before the movie started, because nobody wants to see an hour and a half of a complete jerk, Carell says.
I thought the character should start as an overconfident, self-absorbed person, but with a decent enough heart, then have him transform into someone who has much greater self-awareness. The job also required working with children and many different animals, co-stars Carell has managed to avoid for most of his career. This movie didn't put me off animals in general, says Carell, who doesn't own any pets but says he's amenable to the idea.
I quite liked working with animals in this movie. You know the adage of don't work with kids or animals? I would definitely work with animals again - and then he took a long pause, didn't mention children - No, I would work with children again too,' he jokes.
Carell's sense of humour remains in place when asked the $175-million question. That's the reported U.S.
dollar investment in , the most ever spent to make a comedy film. So the star must be feeling a little performance anxiety, right? I don't think there's any pressure whatsoever because - and I have a very good sense about these things - I think that this movie could make a million dollars, Carell cracks.
I am not kidding. And if you think about how much money a million dollars is. You line a million dollar bills from end to end, and that is a long line of money.
On a more serious note, he adds: All I could do was try to do the best job I could. I think it's a good movie and it will make people very happy. But sure, I hope it makes money.
With more demands on his time and his marketability higher than ever, Carell depends on a happy home life to stay balanced. That isn't always easy when two comedians live under the same roof, but he reports that the laughs come easy with his wife and former Second City student Nancy Walls, their daughter and son. It's not like we're wacky all the time, walking around doing bits and characters for each other, Carell says.
And our kids, they're 3 and 6, and they already sort of understand the concept of irony. That's pretty astute for children that young. As long as his home life stays good, Carell says, he can deal with the stresses success brings.
It hasn't taken a toll on me personally, or in terms of my family, but if that started to happen, that would be the only thing that would keep me from continuing. Other than that, I just feel so lucky.
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