John Krasinski Says Steve Carell Made Him Weep On The ‘IF’ Set After Giving Him “The Greatest Brother Speech”

There’s nothing like your past (on-screen) manager’s “stamp of approval,” and John Krasinski was hit with the feels when he received that sign of support from Steve Carell.

The Office alums had the opportunity to collaborate on IF, Krasinski’s new animated and live-action hybrid film in which Carell voices the character Blue. While speaking with People, Krasinski noted that he “wrote the part for [Carell] and had no idea that he could do it, whether scheduling-wise or whatever.”

“For him to sign on was a huge boost,” he shared. “It felt [like] that stamp of approval from family.”

As for their reunion on set, Krasinski recalled, “When [Carell] came in, I thought I would have the best time ever, and I did. “But the first thing he did was make me cry, which sounds sad but it was amazing.”

He shared that Carell gave him “the greatest brother speech about how proud he was of me and how much he loved the script.”

“He said, ‘I knew you’d go on to be a writer-director.’ I said, ‘I didn’t even know that.’ He just said, ‘I’m so proud of you and keep going, and I’ve watched everything and [I’m] cheering you on from the sidelines,'” he gushed.

Krasinski said he then “wept at the beginning of [their] VO session,” but fortunately, Carell then “jumped into being Blue and cheered [him] up.”

Krasinski’s new film follows a girl who is able to see people’s imaginary friends. He recently told CBS Mornings that he “made this movie for [his] kids,” highlighting a “magical world” he and his wife Emily Blunt would see their children escape to, which seemed to fizzle out due to the COVID-19 pandemic, per CBS News.

“I saw their light starting to go out,” he explained. “And I saw that the world started to seep in, and that is the definition of growing up.”

As for The Office, fans of NBC sitcom were recently treated to the news that a follow-up series was confirmed by Peacock — reportedly starring Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore — will follow “a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters.”

Carell said he has no plans to appear in the new series, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I will be watching but I will not be showing up.” However, Rainn Wilson teased the possibility of making a cameo as Dwight Schrute during a recent appearance on The View.

“Sure, if Dwight Schrute shows up at a newspaper in the Midwest then I’m there,” he said.