Finally making his ark

At US$175 million, Evan Almighty is the costliest comedy ever made - a fact not lost on its star, Steve Carell. The fresh-faced comedian, who has worked wonders in films such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Little Miss Sunshine, is well aware of what's expected when the budget - and his salary - soars. For The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), he was paid US$500,000; for Evan Almighty, he gets US$5 million.

As if to parody his A-list status in Hollywood, Carell recently appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - the programme on which he made his name - in a skit that involved him being followed around by a butler. Anything for a laugh, as far as Carell is concerned.

Evan Almighty, a follow-up to Bruce Almighty (2003), which starred Jim Carrey, provides plenty of opportunity for laughs. In the first movie, Carrey's Bruce Nolan is contacted by God (Morgan Freeman) to assume His powers. The comedy was a hit, making US$480 million globally. Not surprisingly, a sequel has been in the works ever since. Carrey decided not to sign on, leaving room for Carell (who had a small but funny role as a TV anchorman in the original).

'Tom [Shadyac, the director] wanted a follow-up and was trying to come up with a storyline that was an extension of that, but still an independent story,' says Carell.

In the sequel, he plays Evan Baxter, who leaves his TV job to become a congressman in Washington. He's visited by God (Freeman again), who tells him to build an ark because a flood is coming. Evan's wife (Lauren Graham) and their three children are convinced that he's having a mid-life crisis. Nonetheless, Evan does God's bidding, assisted by 177 species of animals.

'My favourite was the alpaca,' says Carell. 'And the giraffes. I'd never seen a giraffe that close up. From a distance, they have incredibly sweet faces and soulful eyes, and they look like very kind, gentle animals. To have one within a foot of your face gives you a completely different perspective.'