The Office casting director Allison Jones reveals that the show’s network, NBC, originally considered two different Oscar-nominated actors for the role of Michael Scott. Based on the original British mockumentary created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the American version starred Steve Carell as David Brent-lite Michael Scott and followed the employees (and boss) of fictional Pennsylvania paper merchants Dunder Mifflin. The Office featured an ensemble cast, and first debuted in 2005 to generally positive critical acclaim, with praise for Carell’s performance, but there could have been a different actor in the role altogether.
