Steve Carell: No Meryl Streep For Anchorman 2

Reports surfaced Thursday claiming Meryl Streep would be making a cameo in the upcoming “Anchorman: The Legend Continues.”

However, “Anchorman’s” Steve Carell tells Access Hollywood (sadly) that Meryl won’t be able to fit the film into her schedule.

“When I did ‘Hope Springs,’ [Meryl] mentioned she was a fan and she said, ‘Oh, I’d love to be in it,’” Steve told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover on Friday’s Access Hollywood Live. “But that’s not gonna [happen] — that’s not a thing.

“She’s actually busy — she can’t do it,” he added, with a laugh.

While Meryl isn’t available, Steve confirmed the highly anticipated sequel will feature Harrison Ford, James Marsden and Kristen Wiig, and said the Will Ferrell-led comedy will not disappoint.

“It’s gonna be really funny. It’s a great script,” he said. “I think the fact that it had eight years to gestate [was helpful]. The second one actually makes sense. It’s smart and really silly at the same time.”

In fact, Steve said the movie will be hilarious and remain “very similar to the first in terms of tone.”

Before Steve temporarily lowers his I.Q. roughly 80 points to reprise his role as lovably dense weatherman Brick Tamland, the actor will be seen as a legendary magician who’s struggling to remain relevant in “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone.”

Playing the flamboyant Las Vegas illusionist required dramatic, over-the-top hair and makeup, as well as hair removal on his chest (something the actor is painfully familiar with due to his memorable waxing scene in “40-Year-Old Virgin”).

“I just shaved it [for ‘Wonderstone’]. I didn’t go through the waxing – no ‘Kelly Clarkson’ this time!” he said, referencing his famed outburst while getting his pecs waxed in the 2005 comedy.

See Steve – alongside Jim Carrey and Steve Buscemi – in “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone – in theaters on March 15.

— Erin O’Sullivan

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