Steve Carell's father and family: from Italian-American heritage to Hollywood

Steve Carell's father and family: from Italian-American heritage to Hollywood

Steven John Carell is one of America's most versatile comics and actors, popularly known for his role as Michael Scott in The Office (2005–2011, 2013). Steve Carell's father, Edwin A. Carell, was best known for his unwavering support of Steve's career. Edwin was a World War II army veteran and mechanical engineer.

Steve Carell's father is Edwin A. Carell
Steve on March 1, 2025 (L). Steve's parents, Harriet Theresa and Edwin A. Carell (R). Photo: @stevecarellofficial on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: Instagram

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • Steve Carell's father, Edwin A. Carell, was an army veteran and mechanical engineer.
  • Edwin Carell reportedly passed on at 95 on March 3, 2021, due to natural causes.
  • Steve Carell's family name was Caroselli, but his father changed it to Carell in the 1950s.
  • Steve's wife is Nancy Carell, and they have two children: Elisabeth and John

Steve Carell's profile summary

Full name

Steven John Carell

Gender

Male

Date of birth

August 16, 1962

Age

63 years old (as of 2025)

Place of birth

Emerson Hospital, Concord, Massachusetts, United States

Current residence

Toluca Lake, California, United States

Nationality

American

Ethnicity

Italian-American

Height

5 feet 9 inches

Father

Edwin A. Carell

Mother

Harriet Theresa

Siblings

Timothy, Michael, and Gregory

Relationship status

Married

Wife

Nancy Carell

Children

Elisabeth and John

Education

Nashoba Brooks School, The Fenn School, Middlesex School, and Denison University

Profession

Actor and comedian

Net worth

$100 million

Social media

Instagram

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All about Steve Carell's father and family

Steve Carell's father, Edwin A. Carell, was a World War II army veteran and mechanical engineer. In an interview with The Guardian, Steve discussed his father's Italian heritage. He revealed,

My father is Italian and I never met my paternal grandparents. The family name was Caroselli and it was changed in the mid 50s.
Steve Carell's age is 63 years
Steve Carell on December 7, 2024. Photo: @stevecarellofficial on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: Original

About Edwin A. Carell's early life

Steve Carell's father, Edwin A. Carell (age 95 years at the time of death on March 3, 2021), was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, on September 28, 1925. His parents, Ernesto Caroselli and Marie Egle, were Italian immigrants.

At 19, Edwin joined the U.S. Army to serve in World War II, primarily in Northern Germany and France. After the war, he continued his education and graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

What happened to Steve Carell's father?

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Edwin A. Carell passed away on March 3, 2021, at the age of 95. His death was due to natural causes.

Steve Carell's mother and siblings

Steve's mother, Harriet Theresa, was a psychiatric nurse of Polish descent. She was born in 1925 and died on May 7, 2016, at the age of 90.

Steve was brought up alongside his three older brothers, each carving out distinct professional paths. Gregory, the eldest, is an architect, and Timothy, the secondborn, is an engineer. Their thirdborn, Michael, runs a landscaping business.

Steve Carell’s family name was Caroselli
Steve on December 8, 2024 (L). Steve, his parents, and his 3 older brothers (R). Photo: @stevecarellofficial on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: Instagram

A look at Steve Carell's wife and children

Steve Carell's wife is Nancy Carell, a talented actress and comedian. She is known for her work on shows like Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show. She also co-created the comedy series Angie Tribeca with her husband, Steve.

Nancy and Steve first met in Chicago when she took one of Steve's improv classes, and they tied the knot in August 1995. The duo shares two children, a daughter named Elisabeth Anne and a son named John.

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Steve Carell's career

Steve is a renowned actor and comedian, and he made his film debut as Tesio in Curly Sue (1991). Some of his top films and TV shows include:

Year

Movie/TV show

Role

2025

Mountainhead

Randall

2022

The Patient

Alan Strauss

2020

Irresistible

Gary Zimmer

2018

Vice

Donald Rumsfeld

2017

Last Flag Flying

Larry 'Doc' Shepherd

2015

The Big Short

Mark Baum

2014

Foxcatcher

John du Pont

Exploring Steve Carell's early life

Steve, whose full name is Steven John Carell (age 63 as of 2025), was born in Concord, Massachusetts, United States, on August 16, 1962. He holds American nationality.

Steve Carell has two children
Steve on December 2, 2024 (L). Carell and his two children, Elisabeth and John, on December 9, 2024 (R). Photo: @stevecarellofficial on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: Instagram

Is Steve Carell Jewish?

Steve Carell is not Jewish. He was raised as a Roman Catholic and continues to identify with that faith. He revealed,

I'm Catholic, born and bred.

Is Steve Carell a nice guy in real life?

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Steve Carell is widely regarded as a genuinely friendly and down-to-earth person in real life. Fans and colleagues describe him as kind, respectful, humble, and approachable.

For instance, popular film creator and actress Mindy Kaling describes Carell as a nice guy. She wrote,

It has been said many times, but it is true: Steve Carell is a very nice guy. His niceness manifests itself mostly in the fact that he never complains.
Steve Carell and wife Nancy Carell at the AFI FEST 2015 Gala
Steve Carell and wife Nancy Carell at the AFI FEST 2015 Gala Premiere of "The Big Short" on November 12, 2015 in Hollywood, California. Photo by Gregg DeGuire (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Trivia

  • Steve Carell's net worth is estimated at $100 million.
  • He originally planned to become a lawyer and studied history at Denison University before discovering his love for acting.
  • Steve rose to international fame playing Michael Scott on The Office (2005–2013), winning a Golden Globe for the role.
  • He has an Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actor for his dramatic role in Foxcatcher (2014).

Final word

Steve Carell's father, Edwin A. Carell, was an influential figure. He and his wife shaped Steve's early life with steadfast values and a strong work ethic. From Italian-American roots to engineering, Edwin's legacy runs deep.

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READ MORE: Who is Steve Carell's daughter, Elisabeth Anne Carell?

Briefly.co.za shared an article about Elisabeth Anne Carell, an American celebrity child best known as the only daughter of Steve Carell and his wife, Nancy Carell.

Elisabeth was born on May 26, 2001, and has a younger brother, John, born in 2004. The celebrity child is yet to establish her career, but she participated in the 2018 New York acting school Summer Program.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Bennett Yates avatar

Bennett Yates (Lifestyle writer) Bennett Yates is a content creator with over six years of working experience in journalism and copywriting. He graduated from the University of Nairobi (2017) with a Bachelor's in Information Technology. In 2023, Bennett finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. He has worked for Briefly.co.za for six years now. He specializes in topics like technology, entertainment, travel, lifestyle and sports. You can reach him via email at bennetyates@gmail.com.

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