Steve Carell Says Raising His 2 Kids Is 'My Favorite Part of My Life'
Steve Carell Says Raising His 2 Kids Is 'My Favorite Part of My Life'
Kayla GrantMon, March 9, 2026 at 7:46 PM UTC
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Steve CarellCredit: Stephanie Augello/Variety via Getty -
Steve Carell says raising his two kids with wife Nancy Walls is the most fulfilling part of his life
He accidentally referenced his real daughter while filming a scene in his new series Rooster
Carell tries to keep his acting career from defining him, prioritizing normalcy for his children
Steve Carell loves being a father to his two children.
During an interview with L'Officiel, The Office alum, 63, opened up about how being a father to his two kids — daughter Annie, 24, and son John, 21 —prepared him for his new role in the HBO series Rooster. Carell, who shares his children with wife Nancy Walls, told the outlet that he brought his relationship with his own daughter to the role.
"I actually got her a job working as a production assistant on the show, and when we were shooting one scene, I accidentally said, 'I would do anything for Annie,' instead of saying my character’s daughter’s name," Carell said. "There was this big 'aww' sort of moment, but it really lined up for me. Because I was thinking of my daughter as I said the line.”
“Raising children is my favorite part of my life,” he continued. “There’s not even a close second—it’s the most satisfying thing I’ve done.”
Nancy Carell and Steve CarellCredit: Marc Piasecki/FilmMagic
Reflecting on his successful acting career, the dad of two said he tries not to let it get to him, despite being grateful for everything.
“It’s always just been a job,” Carell explained. “I’ve tried not to let it define me too much. But mostly, I just didn’t want it to be weird for my kids.”
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The comedian has kept his children almost entirely out of the spotlight, bringing them to only a handful of red carpet events over the years and seldom speaking about them in interviews as they’ve grown up. However, Annie and John made a rare red carpet appearance when they joined their dad for the premiere of Minions: The Rise of Gru in July 2022.
"They're here today. These [movies] started when they were 4 and 7, and now they're 18 and 21," Carell said of his children growing up with the Despicable Me franchise, in which he voices Gru.
Steve Carell and his family attend the Amazon Studios Premiere of 'Beautiful Boy' in 2018Credit: JB Lacroix/WireImage
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They may be all grown up, but Carell said his kids still jumped at the chance to attend the premiere.
"I put it out to them like, 'Well, the premiere is this week, do you want to go?' And they were all over it, like not even a hesitation," the actor said. "I think it's nostalgic at this point. They love the characters and they love the franchise. It's been a big part of our family."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”