Did you know that the hit comedy The 40-Year-Old Virgin has its roots in the making of another iconic film, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy? It's true! Steve Carell, while working on Anchorman, pitched director Judd Apatow a comedy sketch that would eventually blossom into the hilarious movie we know and love.
The Birth of an Idea on the Anchorman Set
Apatow, who directed and co-wrote The 40-Year-Old Virgin with Carell, revealed that he asked Carell for feature film ideas during the production of Anchorman, which Apatow produced. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Apatow said, "Steve was so hilarious on set every day while we were making Anchorman. So I just asked him if he had any ideas where he was the lead, and he came to me with a few."
From Sketch to Screen: The Poker Game
One of Carell's ideas was based on a sketch he had been developing at Second City. The sketch featured a man in a poker game, surrounded by others telling raunchy stories. When it's his turn, it becomes painfully obvious he's never had sex before. This concept, initially unsuccessful as a sketch, proved to be the perfect foundation for a full-length comedy.
Carell's Comedy Beginnings
Before his time on The Daily Show, Steve Carell honed his comedic skills with the Second City comedy troupe. Interestingly, future Daily Show colleague Stephen Colbert was his understudy. The poker game scene made it into the final cut of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, featuring Carell's character, Andy, awkwardly describing a woman's breast.
20 Years Later, Still Making Us Laugh
The 40-Year-Old Virgin, released in 2005, became a box office hit, grossing $177 million worldwide. Starring Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, and Seth Rogen, the film follows Andy, an electronics store employee who decides it's time to finally lose his virginity. Even after two decades, the film continues to be a beloved comedy classic.