Steve Carell's doting wife Nancy was once his student in acting class: 'I think I got lucky'

2023-06-16 19:57

Nancy has starred alonside her husband Steve in several projects, like 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin' and the hit series 'The Office'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Steve Carell and his wife Nancy have been happily married for nearly three decades and have two children together. However, not many are aware she was once his student in a theater improv class.

Steve, 60, is best known for portraying the idiosyncratic manager Michael Scott in 'The Office'. He has also delivered memorable performances in films such as 'Crazy, Stupid, Love,' 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin,' 'Evan Almighty,' and the 'Despicable Me' franchise. In 2016, the decorated actor joined hands with his wife Nancy to make his debut as a series showrunner and created the police comedy 'Angie Tribeca.'

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Who is Nancy Carell?

Hailing from Massachusetts, Nancy Carell is a well-known actress, writer, and comedian best known for her stint on 'Saturday Night Live,' where she famously portrayed CNN anchor Bobbie Battista. She was also a correspondent for the satirical late-night show 'The Daily Show' between 1999 and 2002.

Nancy notably shared the screen with Steve in 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin', in which she portrayed a health worker, and also featured alongside her husband in the smash hit series 'The Office,' where she played Steve's character Scott's girlfriend Carol Stills. Furthermore, the actress also played a role in 'Seeking a Friend for the End of the World' starring her husband and Keira Knightley, and did a voice-over for a character in the animated series 'The Goode Family' in 2009.

Steve and Nancy Carell's love story

Nancy Carell, née Walls, met her future husband after enrolling in an improv class at the Second City Theater in Chicago in the early '90s. It was one of the most popular venues for improvisational and comedic theater in the country, and Steve was the teacher in that class. He told The Guardian in 2013 how he was immediately attracted to her. “She kind of checked all the boxes in my head, but I thought she hated me because she was very quiet around me," the actor said.

Nancy's quiet demeanor, however, stemmed from shyness. She was also attracted to Steve, but they were both reserved around each other. At the time, she was working at a bar across the theater and the 'Get Smart' star would often stop by for a chance to talk to her. The adorable couple would beat around the bush for a while before Steve finally mustered the courage to ask her out. “The conversation would go something like, ‘Hey, you know, if I were ever to ask a woman out, it would be someone like you. Exactly like you,’” he recalled during an appearance on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show.'

Steve said Nancy would also respond with something along the same lines and regulars at the bar couldn't help but notice their obliviousness. Once they started dating, however, their union was cast in stone. “I knew early on that she was the right one,” Steve gushed.

Taking the holy vows

The lovebirds finally tied the knot on August 5, 1995. Steve remembered standing at the altar and watching Nancy walk down the aisle. “I was like ‘That person has my back.’ I thought ‘I’m so much more powerful now that she’s part of my world," he told Entertainment Tonight. After the nuptials, Nancy soon landed a gig with 'SNL' while Steve was still struggling to find roles on television.

Regardless, Nancy's early success never put a dent in their relationship. Steve eventually scored his debut on 'The Dana Carvey Show' in 1996. Three years later, he joined the cast of 'The Daily Show.'

Steve and Nancy Carell's children

In 2001, Steve and Nancy were blessed with their first child, Elisabeth. Three years later, after the family moved from New York to Los Angeles, Nancy took a break from acting to welcome their second child, John. “Nancy wanted to have kids and be a stay-at-home mom and felt fortunate that she had the opportunity to do so,” Steve divulged to The Hollywood Reporter in 2012.

Around that time, Steve also scored a major contract with NBC to star in 'The Office,' which would successfully run for nine seasons from 2005 to 2013. When asked about the secret to a happy and long-lasting marriage, the acclaimed thespian admitted he doesn't believe there's one. “I think I got lucky because I married the right person,” he told iVillage.