A "Leading Candidate" Has Emerged to Possibly Replace Steve Carell on "The Office"

[Brian Damage]

It looks like an actor from HBO's "Flight of the Conchords" might be one of the leading candidates to replace Steve Carell on the NBC sitcom "The Office" if, as expected, Carell leaves the show when his current contract expires, reports EW.com's The Ausiello Files.

The actor in question is Rhys Darby, who played band manager Murray Hewitt in HBO's "Flight of the Conchords."

The producers are also considering Danny McBride, who stars in HBO's "Eastbound & Down," although recruiting McBride may prove to have more obstacles since HBO recently renewed the program for a second season, the story says.

Darby, though, is free since "Conchords" isn't continuing, the article notes. The show's producers are discussing introducing a new salesman into Dunder Mifflin, but he didn't say whether the new person would replace Carell, who plays the Scranton office's boss, Michael Scott. “We haven’t settled exactly who will take over,” says showrunner Paul Lieberstein.

http://www.tvweek.com/blogs/tvbizwir...chord-acto.php