‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’ first premiered in July 2011, starring Carell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and Julianne Moore
Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- At the New York City premiere of Rooster, Steve Carell reflected on the 15th anniversary of Crazy, Stupid, Love
- During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, he revealed that for the longest time, the script remained untitled
- The 63-year-old actor also gave his own hot take on the title and how his perception of it has changed over the years
At the New York City premiere of Rooster, Steve Carell took a moment to reflect on a fan-favorite from his past.
While speaking with Entertainment Tonight, the actor was baffled to learn that Crazy, Stupid, Love is approaching its 15th anniversary and shared the story behind how the film ultimately got its title – along with his own candid thoughts about it.
“I never liked that title,” Carell admitted. “I do now, but when Dan Fogelman wrote it, he didn't title it. He didn't call it anything. It was ‘Untitled Dan Fogelman Project.’ ”
Credit: Warner Bros
Carell explained that, at the time, "everybody had an idea as to what the title should be," but no one could land on the right name. The script, written by Fogelman, had strong characters and sharp dialogue, but the title proved surprisingly difficult to narrow down. Eventually, the studio stepped in to make the final decision.
“So finally, Warner Brothers just said, ‘We're calling it Crazy, Stupid, Love,’ I was like, 'Eh, alright,'” Carell said.
While the Office actor wasn't immediately sold on the name, he knew the film would be great no matter what it was called.
"But I'm convinced that if it's good and people like it, people will like the title. Doesn't even matter what you call it," he added.
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Released in July 2011, the film starred Carell as Cal Weaver, a middle-aged man newly navigating divorce and rediscovering confidence. He appeared alongside Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone and Kevin Bacon, among others. The ensemble cast and interwoven love stories helped turn the movie into a box office success and a lasting romantic comedy favorite.
Credit: Ben Glass/Shutterstock
Fifteen years later, Carell seems at peace with the once-debated title. As he suggested, audiences ultimately embraced the film for its story and performances — proving that sometimes a name really doesn’t matter as much as the movie itself.
More recently, Carell is starring in the upcoming HBO comedy series, Rooster, as Greg Russo, a bestselling author who heads to a college campus to support his daughter, Katie, and finds himself unexpectedly pulled into campus life and academia.
The series, co-created by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, premieres on March 8, 2026, on HBO and streaming on HBO Max.
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