Out of 'Office,' Carell turns focus to movies

Cast member Steve Carell poses as he arrives for the premiere of his film 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' in New York July 19, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

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NEW YORK — Steve Carell is not going through Michael Scott withdrawal — at least not yet.

"I don't sit at home and think of 'that's what she said' jokes and wish that I could do them one more time," says the actor, laughing. "But it's only been a few months, too, so I haven't really had any time. All of that is still fresh to me."

Carell's sendoff from "The Office" (for which he received a parting Emmy nomination) is still fresh in many viewers' minds, too. The emotional hubbub over his exit after seven seasons caught Carell by surprise. He was flattered, he says, but, with typical humility, considers it "just an actor leaving a show."

He moved on to spend more time with his family (wife and former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Nancy Ellen Walls and their two children) and to expand the movie career he had previously squeezed into summer breaks from shooting the hit NBC comedy.

The first glimpse of Carell's post-"Office" days is "Crazy Stupid Love," an ensemble romantic comedy in which he stars and that he produced.

"It is sort of a new phase," Carell said in a recent interview at the Ritz-Carlton. "We'll see how it goes. It's just, just started. You're witnessing day one of the new phase. So far so good."

"Crazy Stupid Love" mirrors the type of movie Carell wants to pursue, particularly its blend of comedy and drama, and its focus on character-based realism.

Carell plays a suburban father who, when his wife (Julianne Moore) cheats on him and they separate, remakes himself as a lady's man with the help of a suave pick-up artist (Ryan Gosling). The film also examines love stories in different generations (Emma Stone pairs with Gosling).

Glenn Ficarra, who directed with John Requa, calls the role a "transitional piece" for Carell that shows he can smoothly range into more serious material.

"Steve's a writer, so he's always thinking about scenes in a slightly different way, not just as an actor," says Ficarra. "Like '40-Year-Old Virgin' is a very kind of crass concept, but it's a very heartfelt movie. Steve always approaches everything he does trying to come from a real place, as opposed to a wacky place. So I think it's a natural extension to move toward dramatic stuff, because you're just dealing with reality."