• September 05, 2005
• Vol. 64
• No. 10

Going All the Way

In The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Comedian Steve Carell Finally Becomes a (Leading) Man

As anyone who watches the chest-waxing scene in the very R-rated new comedy The 40-Year-Old Virgin knows, Steve Carell, who plays the titular virgin, is willing to suffer for his art. "There is something inherently male—I am guessing it is a chromosome we have—that allows us to find joy in other men's pain," says the hirsute Carell, 42, who actually had his chest waxed for the scene. "He said the audience wouldn't find it funny unless they believed he was in actual pain," says director Judd Apatow. It worked. Virgin, which Carell cowrote, took the top box office spot its opening weekend—and has transformed the comedian into a movie star. Until now, Carell—who has two kids with his wife, actress Nancy Walls—was best known on TV (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Office) and in memorable but small movie roles (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy). How far will he go to keep getting laughs? "For the sequel," says Carell, "I'm going to have a Brazilian wax."