NEED TO KNOW<\/h3>\n\n- \n\n
Judd Apatow opened up about how Steve Carell\u2019s \u2018big heart\u2019 gave The 40-Year-Old Virgin the sweetness it needed<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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The 2005 comedy celebrates its 20th anniversary this month<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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Apatow said Carell\u2019s work in the film is \u2018really remarkable\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Steve Carell<\/a> was the secret sauce that made The 40-Year-Old Virgin<\/a> a classic, according to director Judd Apatow<\/a><\/p>\nApatow, 57, spoke about the raunchy comedy and its legacy on the Aug. 13 episode of Where Everybody Knows Your Name<\/a>, hosted by Ted Danson<\/a>. The 40-Year-Old Virgin celebrated its 20th anniversary on Aug. 11. In 2005, the movie \u2014 Apatow\u2019s directorial debut and Carell\u2019s first starring role \u2014 grossed over $177 million at the box office.<\/p>\nThe idea for the movie, Apatow told Danson, came when he asked Carell, 62, if he had any movie ideas. After Carell\u2019s scene-stealing role in 2004\u2019s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Apatow thought the comedy actor ought to be leading a comedy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"ZUMA](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/a9iamJHrF9gzWNzn9m.R5A--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MTtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/people_218\/7e5bfbeedc189755e2874ae76e3226bf\"\/)
<\/span><\/div>\n\nZUMA Press, Inc. \/ Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n
Steve Carell (center) in ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’<\/p><\/div>\n
Carell pitched him on a character he used to play in comedy sketches. \u201cHe was in a poker game, and they’re all telling dirty sex stories. And when you get to him, it’s clear he’s never had sex and he’s lying,\u201d Apatow remembered. He could \u201crelate\u201d to that idea, and the duo were on their way.<\/p>\n
Danson admitted he only recently watched the movie for the first time and said he and wife, Mary Steenburgen<\/a>, \u201chowled with laughter.\u201d He called it \u201csuch a sweet, loving, raunchy movie.\u201d<\/p>\nApatow said he recently attended an anniversary screening with a thousand people, and it was the first time he\u2019d seen it since 2005. \u201cI got to watch it, having not remembered about 80% of what was in it,\u201d Apatow said. He said he was \u201claughing\u201d and appreciated how many jokes were in it.<\/p>\n
In the movie, Carell plays Andy, who is 40 and has never had sex. He works at an electronics store where his coworkers \u2014 played by Paul Rudd<\/a>, Romany Malco and Seth Rogen<\/a> \u2014 try to help him change his circumstances. Catherine Keener<\/a> plays Andy’s love interest, Trish, with Kat Dennings<\/a> as her daughter.<\/p>\n![\"Moviestore\/Shutterstock\u00a0](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/D4FJsD77rzvV2Pxa5fZwcw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MTtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/people_218\/228a58ae02d96af47f3178d9c60a9ba3\"\/)
<\/span><\/div>\n\nMoviestore\/Shutterstock <\/p>\n
Steve Carell (left) and Judd Apatow on the set of ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’<\/p><\/div>\n
Danson reiterated how \u201ctouching\u201d the movie was. \u201cSteve has such a big heart,\u201d Apatow said. \u201cAt the beginning of the process, we were like, \u2018What if we took this very seriously, like emotionally?\u2019 Not just like a big dumbass movie, like what his problem is, what emotionally he needs to get over his shame, his sense of feeling less than, and his insecurities, and really write to the truth of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd because he’s such a great actor, and so emotionally available, in addition to being the funniest guy ever, he did something really remarkable,\u201d Apatow said of Carell\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n
The 40-Year-Old Virgin is returning to theaters for a week beginning Aug. 22 in celebration of the milestone anniversary.<\/p>\n
In one of the movie\u2019s most iconic scenes, Carell\u2019s Andy gets his chest waxed<\/a>. The actor actually had them wax his chest in the scene. As he screams out in pain, he yells and swears, in between apologizing to his waxer. When he runs out of swears, he famously yells, \u201cOh, Kelly Clarkson!\u201d<\/a><\/p>\nCarell told PEOPLE at the time, \u201cThere is something inherently male \u2014 I am guessing it is a chromosome we have \u2014 that allows us to find joy in other men’s pain.\u201d Apatow added, “He said the audience wouldn’t find it funny unless they believed he was in actual pain.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 40-Year-Old Virgin premiered the summer after the first season of The Office<\/a> aired on NBC, and Carell\u2019s TV and movie careers combined to make him one of comedy\u2019s brightest stars.<\/p>\n
Judd Apatow opened up about how Steve Carell\u2019s \u2018big heart\u2019 gave The 40-Year-Old Virgin the sweetness it needed<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
The 2005 comedy celebrates its 20th anniversary this month<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
Apatow said Carell\u2019s work in the film is \u2018really remarkable\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Steve Carell<\/a> was the secret sauce that made The 40-Year-Old Virgin<\/a> a classic, according to director Judd Apatow<\/a><\/p>\n Apatow, 57, spoke about the raunchy comedy and its legacy on the Aug. 13 episode of Where Everybody Knows Your Name<\/a>, hosted by Ted Danson<\/a>. The 40-Year-Old Virgin celebrated its 20th anniversary on Aug. 11. In 2005, the movie \u2014 Apatow\u2019s directorial debut and Carell\u2019s first starring role \u2014 grossed over $177 million at the box office.<\/p>\n The idea for the movie, Apatow told Danson, came when he asked Carell, 62, if he had any movie ideas. After Carell\u2019s scene-stealing role in 2004\u2019s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Apatow thought the comedy actor ought to be leading a comedy.\u00a0<\/p>\n ZUMA Press, Inc. \/ Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n Steve Carell (center) in ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’<\/p><\/div>\n Carell pitched him on a character he used to play in comedy sketches. \u201cHe was in a poker game, and they’re all telling dirty sex stories. And when you get to him, it’s clear he’s never had sex and he’s lying,\u201d Apatow remembered. He could \u201crelate\u201d to that idea, and the duo were on their way.<\/p>\n Danson admitted he only recently watched the movie for the first time and said he and wife, Mary Steenburgen<\/a>, \u201chowled with laughter.\u201d He called it \u201csuch a sweet, loving, raunchy movie.\u201d<\/p>\n Apatow said he recently attended an anniversary screening with a thousand people, and it was the first time he\u2019d seen it since 2005. \u201cI got to watch it, having not remembered about 80% of what was in it,\u201d Apatow said. He said he was \u201claughing\u201d and appreciated how many jokes were in it.<\/p>\n In the movie, Carell plays Andy, who is 40 and has never had sex. He works at an electronics store where his coworkers \u2014 played by Paul Rudd<\/a>, Romany Malco and Seth Rogen<\/a> \u2014 try to help him change his circumstances. Catherine Keener<\/a> plays Andy’s love interest, Trish, with Kat Dennings<\/a> as her daughter.<\/p>\n Moviestore\/Shutterstock <\/p>\n Steve Carell (left) and Judd Apatow on the set of ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’<\/p><\/div>\n Danson reiterated how \u201ctouching\u201d the movie was. \u201cSteve has such a big heart,\u201d Apatow said. \u201cAt the beginning of the process, we were like, \u2018What if we took this very seriously, like emotionally?\u2019 Not just like a big dumbass movie, like what his problem is, what emotionally he needs to get over his shame, his sense of feeling less than, and his insecurities, and really write to the truth of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd because he’s such a great actor, and so emotionally available, in addition to being the funniest guy ever, he did something really remarkable,\u201d Apatow said of Carell\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n The 40-Year-Old Virgin is returning to theaters for a week beginning Aug. 22 in celebration of the milestone anniversary.<\/p>\n In one of the movie\u2019s most iconic scenes, Carell\u2019s Andy gets his chest waxed<\/a>. The actor actually had them wax his chest in the scene. As he screams out in pain, he yells and swears, in between apologizing to his waxer. When he runs out of swears, he famously yells, \u201cOh, Kelly Clarkson!\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Carell told PEOPLE at the time, \u201cThere is something inherently male \u2014 I am guessing it is a chromosome we have \u2014 that allows us to find joy in other men’s pain.\u201d Apatow added, “He said the audience wouldn’t find it funny unless they believed he was in actual pain.\u201d<\/p>\n The 40-Year-Old Virgin premiered the summer after the first season of The Office<\/a> aired on NBC, and Carell\u2019s TV and movie careers combined to make him one of comedy\u2019s brightest stars.<\/p>\n<\/span><\/div>\n
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