Bob Odenkirk Recalls Losing the Role of Michael Scott to Steve Carell: ‘He’s Better at Being Genuinely Fun’

Few sitcom characters have become more firmly entrenched in pop culture than Steve Carell‘s Michael Scott on the American version of “The Office.” But modern television history could have been altered forever had the casting process broken slightly differently. After the likes of Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti turned down the role, producers also considered casting Bob Odenkirk as Michael Scott. But the “Better Call Saul” star, who later went on to appear in an episode of the show, is at peace with how it all played out.

In a recent appearance on the “Office Ladies” podcast, hosted by “The Office” stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey (via The Hollywood Reporter), Odenkirk reflected on losing the iconic role. Rather than be bitter, he explained why Carell was a better fit than him to play the famously bumbling boss.

“I am, in a strange way, a very earnest person for a person in comedy,” Odenkirk said. “I am oddly earnest… It’s one of the reasons I think Steve Carell is a better, you know — is the one who got the role.”

While Odenkirk is a comedy legend in his own right for his work on “Mr. Show with Bob and David” and memorable guest appearances in shows like “Arrested Development,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “I Think You Should Leave,” he explained that some of the traits that made it harder to land purely comedic roles made it easier to transition to dramatic projects like “Better Call Saul.”

“There were other parts that I think I was up for that Steve got, and it’s because he’s better at being genuinely fun,” he said. “I think I bring with me a little bit too much earnest seriousness, and it’s just kinda there. And there’s nothing I can do about it except play other roles where it’s helpful to have that. And, you know, you just don’t believe me as a purely light character. You just are looking for the darkness, and that’s actually great in drama. That’s a plus, you know? But in comedy, it’s not a plus.”