Space Force: Real chief wanted to be played by Bruce Willis instead of ‘shaggy’ Steve Carell

Series is a humorous response to Trump’s actual Space Force

Steve Carell is starring as the chief of the US Space Force in a new sci-fi comedy on Netflix – but it turns out the man in the real-life role had other ideas about who he wanted to play him.

Air Force General John Raymond said: “The one piece of advice I’d give Steve Carell is to get a haircut. He’s looking a little too shaggy if he wants to play the Space Force chief.”

He revealed people had been voting on Twitter about who should play him in the show, with Bruce Willis coming out as the favourite.

“So I was hoping for Bruce Willis,” said Raymond. “But Steve Carell’s a great actor.”

Space Force stars Carell as the unsuspecting man chosen to lead the sixth branch of the US Armed Forces that was established by Donald Trump in 2018, and has been widely mocked since its creation.

Space Force reunites Carell with The US Office creator Greg Daniels.

Lisa Kudrow, John Malkovich, Diana Silvers and Ben Schwartz also feature in the series, which arrives on Netflix on 29 May.