Jim Carrey

Background

Jim Carrey is a household name in Hollywood. His unique talents have brought joy and laughter to the hearts of fans worldwide, and his success is inspirational to a diverse fan community. On January 17, 1962, Carrey was born in Toronto, Canada, to his musician father, Percy Carrey, and homemaker mother, Kathleen. He was raised Roman Catholic and had French, Irish, Scottish, and Canadian heritage. Carrey realized he had a talent for impressions at a young age. As a fearless Capricorn, Carrey wrote a letter to Carol Burnett of the “Carol Burnett Show” at age 10, pointing out his comedic prowess as an impressionist. Growing up, Carrey’s family struggled with poverty. They lived in a van before his father got employed as an accountant. Then he and his brother worked as janitors at a tire factory.

Carrey’s first experience as a stand-up comic was in 1977 when he was 15. In a bid to support his dreams, his father took Carrey to downtown Toronto where he debuted at a Yuk-Yuk’s Comedy Club. Carrey’s impersonations bombed, but it didn’t deter him. In 1979, he returned to the stage after moving to Jackson’s Point. This was when he got his first paid gig. Carrey’s early career as a 17-year-old went from open-mic nights to regular paid shows, gaining recognition in the process. He moved to Hollywood in 1983 and appeared on “The Tonight Show” that spring. The defining moment of his career was in 1990 after he appeared on the comedy series “In Living Color” from 1990 to 1994. Then the big bucks started rolling in. Carrey got the lead role in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” released in 1994, “The Mask,” and “Dumb and Dumber” all released the same year. He received his first Golden Globe Award nomination for ‘Best Actor’ for “The Mask.”

From there on out, Carrey’s success only seemed to grow. He played “The Riddler” in 1995, “The Cable Guy” in 1996, “Liar Liar” in 1997, and “Truman Burbank” in 1998. Carrey’s success was undeniable at this point. He became a comedic force in Hollywood with several more high-grossing movies under his belt, including our personal favorite, “The Grinch” (2018). Carrey shares his immense success with his daughter, Jane Erin Carrey, from his first marriage in 1987. The comedic genius has been married twice but is currently single.