Harvey Keitel to replace Steve Carell?

1:54 PM PDT 10/14/2010 by Lindsay Powers, AP

Comments

Paul Lieberstein calls him 'the only guy who can do it'

Throw another name in the hat of rumored replacements for Steve Carell on "The Office:" Harvey Keitel.

Paul Lieberstein, who produces the NBC hit, tells E! News that Keitel "is probably the only guy who can do it, and he's doing TV now...That's what a very smart/eager man once called a 'win-win-win.'" (The Oscar nominee recently starred on ABC's Life on Mars.)

Lieberstein says he has not yet approached the actor.

"I haven't started any talks with his people, but Harvey would do a great job—a very different energy," Lieberstein says. "And we don't want to bring in another Michael, having someone play a very similar character because we have such a high regard for Steve."

Lieberstein insists he's serious about 71-year-old Keitel joining the cast.

"Yes, absolutely," says the executive producer. "He's a real tough guy, but I saw him in 'Life on Mars' and I saw a lot more comedy in his work, just little slivers of it, little things he would do that made me think he's capable of a lot more than what [he's done]."

So what's his back story on the show?

"He's an old salesman who thought he could retire and the stock market went down, and he has to come out of retirement to work for a few years," Lieberstein explains.

Ellie Kemper, who plays Michael Scott's assistant Kelly on the show, tells The Hollywood Reporter she has somebody else entirely in mind.

"I would choose Daryl," she said, referring to Craig Robinson (who recently entered management training on the show), at the Emmy's Governor's Ball. "He's come so far."