Rainn Wilson Says Filming ‘The Office’ Was a Struggle After Steve Carell Left

Rainn Wilson is looking back at what it was like to be part of The Office after Steve Carell left, and he’s not sugarcoating anything. During an appearance on the “Good Guys” podcast with Josh Peck and Ben Soffer, Wilson said things got pretty rough on set after their leading star said goodbye in 2011.

Wilson, who played fan-favorite Dwight Schrute for all nine seasons, said losing Carell really shook up the whole series. “When Steve left, then it was a little bit chaotic of trying to figure out the tone of the show and who’s the lead and, how are we telling these stories without, you know, the comic engine of the show, which is Michael Scott,” he said. “That was also a struggle.”

According to Wilson, Steve Carell’s exit wasn’t a surprise to anyone on set. He said the cast knew it was coming for a while because Carell was already becoming a major movie star at that time. “We knew it was coming for a long time,” Wilson shared.

Even before he left The Office, Carell was already taking on big film roles. Wilson brought up some of them, like Get Smart and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, and noted how Carell’s career was really taking off.

“He was doing like ‘Burt Wonderstone’ and these big comedies. I’m forgetting all the names of them at the time, but ‘Get Smart,’ you know? [Movies] that were in 2,000 theaters at the multiplex. So, of course, he’s going to leave The Office when he can!” he added.

Steve Carell played Michael Scott from 2005 to 2011 and was the heart of the show for most fans. Even though he never won an Emmy for the role, he was nominated six times and received tons of praise for his performance. After his run on the show, he starred in films like Crazy, Stupid, Love, Despicable Me, Hope Springs, and The Way Way Back.

The Office continued without him for two more seasons, eventually ending in 2013. Carell did come back for the series finale in a surprise appearance that made fans emotional.

Now, a new spin on the original show is on its way. It’s called The Paper, and it’s a fresh mockumentary-style comedy set in the same universe. It’s expected to premiere on Peacock this September.

It follows a documentary crew filming The Truth Teller, a struggling old newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, trying to make a comeback with the help of volunteer reporters. The show stars Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, and several others, including Oscar Nuñez, who returns as Oscar Martinez from The Office. Greg Daniels and Michael Koman created the series, and it began filming in July 2024.

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