# Nancy Carell
**Nancy Carell** (born Nancy Walls in 1966, in Cohasset, Massachusetts) is an American actress, comedian, and writer known for one season as a cast member of *Saturday Night Live* (1995–96), three years as a correspondent on *The Daily Show with Jon Stewart*, and the recurring role of Carol Stills, the realtor Michael Scott briefly dates, on NBC's *[The Office](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-office-american-tv-series)*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909391/) • [2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nancy-carell/) She is married to actor [Steve Carell](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-carell), whom she met at [The Second City](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-second-city) in Chicago, and the two later co-created the TBS satire *Angie Tribeca*.[2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1966, Cohasset, Massachusetts[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909391/) |
| *Saturday Night Live* | Cast member for season 21 (1995–96), best known for her impersonation of CNN anchor Bobbie Battista[2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls) |
| *The Daily Show* | Correspondent for three years, covering the 2000 presidential election in the show's "Indecision 2000" segments[2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls) |
| *The Office* | Recurring guest role as Carol Stills (7 episodes, 2005–2013)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909391/) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/86427/nancy-carell) |
| *Angie Tribeca* | Actor (Mrs. Perry), producer, and writer on the TBS series co-created with Steve Carell[5](https://www.metacritic.com/person/nancy-carell/) • [2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls) |
| Films | *Anger Management* (2003), *The 40-Year-Old Virgin* (2005), *Bridesmaids* (2011), *Seeking a Friend for the End of the World* (2012)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909391/) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nancy-carell/) |
| Marriage | Married Steve Carell on August 5, 1995; they have two children[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909391/) |
## Early life and improv training
Carell was born and raised in Cohasset, Massachusetts, and got her start in comedy while attending [Boston College](https://www.edgepedia.org/boston-college), where she performed with the improv group "My Mother's Fleabag."[2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls) After moving to Chicago to pursue comedy, she began taking classes at The Second City, where she met Steve Carell; *The New Yorker* profile of Carell's husband describes him teaching improv at the Second City Training Center when Nancy Walls, a fellow Massachusetts native, was one of his students.[2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls) • [6](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/07/05/first-banana) They married on August 5, 1995.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909391/)
At The Second City she joined the Touring Company alongside [Adam McKay](https://www.edgepedia.org/adam-mckay), Miriam Tolan, Brian Stack, Theresa Mulligan, and [Todd Stashwick](https://www.edgepedia.org/todd-stashwick), and was then hired by Second City Northwest in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, where she appeared in the 15th revue, *The Madness of Curious George*.[2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls) In 1994 she joined [David Koechner](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-koechner), Adam McKay, Rachel Dratch, and Kevin Dorff in "Lois Kaz," the first longform, fully improvised show at The Second City, which ran Tuesday nights in the e.t.c. theater.[7](https://www.secondcity.com/people/david-koechner)
## Saturday Night Live
*Saturday Night Live* cast Carell in 1995 for its 21st season (1995–96), along with fellow Second City alum David Koechner.[2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls) She spent one season on the show, where she was best known for her impersonation of CNN anchor Bobbie Battista; her credited characters across the season also included Michelle Benson, Susan Taylor, Gail Lafferty, Kathy Ireland, Martha Stewart, Diane Sawyer, Cokie Roberts, and [Sharon Stone](https://www.edgepedia.org/sharon-stone), among others.[2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls) • [5](https://www.metacritic.com/person/nancy-carell/)
In 1996, after her season ended, The Second City took its revue *Pinata Full of Bees* to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. for an East Coast run with a cast that included Nancy Walls, Steve Carell, David Koechner, Tim Meadows, Adam McKay, Jon Glaser, and Theresa Mulligan.[2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls)
## The Daily Show and television career
Carell went on to be a correspondent on *The Daily Show with Jon Stewart* for three years, covering the 2000 presidential election in the show's "Indecision 2000" segments, and she contributed to the "Indecision 2000" election-night special that aired around 2000–01.[2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nancy-carell/) Her earlier television work also included *Lateline* and *Random Play* (VH1, 1998–99).[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nancy-carell/)
Her most visible scripted role came on her husband's sitcom *The Office*, where she had a recurring part as Carol Stills, appearing in seven episodes between 2005 and 2013.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909391/) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/86427/nancy-carell) She also appeared on *The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show* ([Comedy Central](https://www.edgepedia.org/comedy-central), 2006–07) and voiced Helen Goode in [Mike Judge](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-judge)'s animated ABC series *[The Goode Family](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-goode-family)* (2008–09).[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nancy-carell/) • [2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls)
## Film and later work
Carell's film roles include a health clinic counselor (credited as Nancy Walls) in *Anger Management* (2003), a counselor in *The 40-Year-Old Virgin* (2005), Helen's tennis partner in *Bridesmaids* (2011), and Linda in *Seeking a Friend for the End of the World* (2012), which starred her husband.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909391/) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nancy-carell/) In *Seeking a Friend for the End of the World*, his real-life wife played his onscreen wife, who ditches him by hopping out of their car and running off.[8](https://tiffanybakker.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/merged_document_16.pdf)
On *Angie Tribeca*, the TBS police-satire starring [Rashida Jones](https://www.edgepedia.org/rashida-jones) that the Carells co-created, she played Mrs. Perry and also served as producer and writer; the show's 25-hour marathon was a television first, and its fourth season premiered in 2018.[5](https://www.metacritic.com/person/nancy-carell/) • [2](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls) In 2026 she appeared as Susan Riggs in the HBO comedy series *[Rooster](https://www.edgepedia.org/rooster-tv-series)*, her husband's first outright television comedy since he left *The Office* in 2011.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nancy-carell/) • [9](https://apnews.com/article/e6f6cf173d61faf248e5946beca187a8)
## Marriage and collaborations with Steve Carell
The Carells have worked together repeatedly. They met at The Second City in Chicago, where both were members, appeared together on *Saturday Night Live*, *The Daily Show*, and *The 40-Year-Old Virgin*, and in *Seeking a Friend for the End of the World* played a married couple.[10](https://www.sonyclassics.com/foxcatcher/foxcatcher_presskit.pdf) • [8](https://tiffanybakker.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/merged_document_16.pdf) They have two children.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909391/) The couple keeps a low profile, making a rare joint public appearance in June 2026 at animation executive [Chris Meledandri](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-meledandri)'s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.[11](https://www.aol.com/articles/steve-carell-wife-nancy-first-233352000.html)
## References
1. [Nancy Carell, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909391/)
2. [Nancy Walls, The Second City alumni profile](https://www.secondcity.com/people/nancy-walls)
3. [Nancy Carell, Actress, Comedian, Writer, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nancy-carell/)
4. [Nancy Carell, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/86427/nancy-carell)
5. [Nancy Carell, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/nancy-carell/)
6. [First Banana, The New Yorker (July 5, 2010)](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/07/05/first-banana)
7. [David Koechner, The Second City alumni profile](https://www.secondcity.com/people/david-koechner)
8. [Steve Carell interview PDF, tiffanybakker.com](https://tiffanybakker.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/merged_document_16.pdf)
9. [Good dad intentions are at the heart of Steve Carell's new series 'Rooster', AP News](https://apnews.com/article/e6f6cf173d61faf248e5946beca187a8)
10. [Foxcatcher press kit, Sony Pictures Classics](https://www.sonyclassics.com/foxcatcher/foxcatcher_presskit.pdf)
11. [Steve Carell and Wife Nancy Make First Joint Public Appearance in 7 Months, AOL](https://www.aol.com/articles/steve-carell-wife-nancy-first-233352000.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames C to Cl*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license