Jim Carrey is one of the most prolific comic actors in Hollywood. The actor changed the way comedy stars were looked at in the industry by giving solid hits in the ‘90s with films such as Ace Venture: Pet Detective, The Mask, Liar Liar, and more. Though he has done great work in dramas such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, he is known for his comedic work the most.
Carrey scored a trio of incredible hits including his breakthrough release Ace Ventura. After the success of the comic book adaptation The Mask, Carrey played the role of Lloyd Christmas in the comedy Dumb and Dumber. The actor was so committed to the role of a stupid limo driver that he chipped the cap off of his tooth to give him the iconic look.
Jim Carrey’s Extreme Commitment To Make People Laugh
Jim Carrey is one of the most legendary actors to have worked in Hollywood. The actor is known for his particular brand of physical humor and became an unexpected star of the ‘90s. Despite his terrific performances in dramas such as The Majestic, The Truman Show, and Man on the Moon, the actor’s comedic chops are unparalleled.
Carrey was at the peak of his career when he starred in the comedy Dumb and Dumber. Co-starring Jeff Daniels, the film saw Carrey and Daniels play two dim-witted friends who travel from Rhode Island to Colorado to give a briefcase filled with money to a customer who had kept it as ransom. The film was successful and earned a cult following.
Carrey played the role of Lloyd Christmas, a limo driver who fell in love with his customer who had dropped the ransom. The actor was reportedly chosen after his films Ace Ventura and The Mask became huge hits. Carrey was reportedly so committed to the role that he clipped his front tooth to look the part. According to the first AD JB Rogers (via The Ringer),
“Jim Carrey in real life has a split tooth like that but he’s had a cap for years. The night before, Jim took a beer bottle … hooked the cap over the cap on his tooth, and pulled the cap off of his tooth. Because he thought his character should have the split tooth. He didn’t think of it until that night. He’s like, ‘S*it, I gotta get this thing off.’”
Jim Carrey reportedly also gave himself the bowl haircut, which became the iconic look for the character. According to producer Brad Krevoy, the haircut and tooth were not written into the script and Carrey interpreted it that way.
Jim Carrey Was Paid $7 Million For Dumb And Dumber
The year 1994 was probably the best year of Jim Carrey’s life as he delivered three blockbusters and shot to the Hollywood Hall of Fame. The actor was one of the performers in the sketch comedy series In Living Color and was reportedly not known by the director of Dumb and Dumber when it began production.
When Carrey was being considered for the role, producer Brad Kervoy had reportedly had a friend who had caught an early screening of Ace Venture: Pet Detective and had been given a great response for the actor. While the initial offer for Carrey was $400,000, after the success of the film, he was reportedly offered more. Filmmaker Peter Farrelly then mentioned how the actor ended up earning $7 million for the role (via The Ringer),
“Then Ace Ventura came out, which was his first movie and it was no. 1. So the studio said … ‘OK, we’ll give you the $400.’ He said, ‘No, I want $500.’ And then they said, ‘No, you’re not getting $500.’ Another week passed, Ace was no. 1 again. And they said, ‘We’ll give you $500.’ ‘No, I want $750.’”
Apparently, as the actor gave more hits such as The Mask, his price increased and he finally ended up with $7 million in his pocket. The gamble seems to have paid off as the comedy earned over $243 million at the box office against a $17 million budget.
