This hilariously deadpan performer seemed to come out of nowhere when he leapt to stardom in 2005. First he garnered raves (and a 2006 Golden Globe) as a clueless manager on the ensemble reality spoof The Office. Then he wrote, produced and starred in the smash comedy The 40 Year Old Virgin, based on a character he created while studying improvisation at Second City. Yet Carell was already a 15-year veteran of showbiz, with scene-stealing supporting turns in Bruce Almighty and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, a six-year stint on the nightly news satire The Daily Show, and a host of ill-fated sitcoms on his résumé.