Steve Carell Backs Domhnall Gleeson for ‘The Office’ Spinoff, But Won’t Be Making an Appearance

Steve Carell has confirmed that he won’t be appearing in the upcoming “The Office” series on Peacock, but he has offered his support to Domhnall Gleeson, who will be taking on a leading role. Carell and Gleeson previously worked together on the FX limited series “The Patient” in 2022, a collaboration that earned Carell a Screen Actors Guild award nomination and Gleeson nominations at both the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards.

During a recent appearance on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon, Carell discussed Gleeson’s involvement in the new project. “I know Domhnall Gleeson is going to be one of the leads,” Carell said. “He’s an excellent actor. He even called me to ask, ‘Should I do this? Did you enjoy it?’ I told him, ‘Of course.’”

Gleeson will star alongside Sabrina Impacciatore, known for her role in “The White Lotus” Season 2. Filming for the new series is slated to start in July. Unlike a direct reboot or spinoff of the original “The Office,” this new mockumentary will feature an entirely different cast within the same universe. The show is being co-created by Greg Daniels, the mind behind the American version of “The Office,” and Michael Koman.

Peacock’s description of the series reveals: “The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters.”

Carell, who played the beloved Michael Scott for seven seasons, has been clear about not reprising his iconic role. In a 2018 interview with Collider, he expressed no interest in reviving “The Office.” More recently, he reiterated to The Hollywood Reporter that he won’t be appearing in the new series. “I will be watching but I will not be showing up,” Carell stated. “It’s a new thing and there’s really no reason for my character to appear. But I’m excited about it; it sounds like a great concept.”

The potential return of other original cast members remains uncertain. John Krasinski, who portrayed Jim Halpert for all nine seasons of the original show, mentioned to People that he’d be open to any project Greg Daniels proposes.