Who is Jim Carrey? Everything You Need to Know (2024)

James Eugene Carrey, popularly called Jim, was born to Percy and Kathleen, on January 17, 1962, in the town of Newmarket, Canada. He was the youngest of four siblings, the others being Rita, John, and Patricia. Percy, of Canadian-French descent, was a Catholic who was employed as an accountant.

James studied at the Blessed Trinity Catholic School, North York, for a brief period of time, before joining the Agincourt Collegiate Institute. Here too, the young boy studied for only a year, and then went to Northview Heights Secondary School.

Due to financial crisis faced by the family, he was forced to drop out, and help his parents earn a living.

When the family moved to Burlington, Jim Carrey pursued his education from the Aldershot High School. During this time, the teenager showed an interest in performing stand-up comedy acts, often taking time out to entertain his classmates.

Initially, Jim Carrey began performing at the Yuk Yuk's comedy club in Toronto, where he did not gain much recognition. Once the family's financial crises reduced, he got the time and opportunity to concentrate on his comic act.

He soon began performing regularly on-stage, earning a living in the process. Jim Carrey also aimed at getting employed as an actor in television and movies, and soon appeared for a try-out of Saturday Night Live produced by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC).

He was however rejected for the 1980-81 season of the show, and turned his attention towards Hollywood films. The following year, he featured on An Evening at the Improv, a stand-up comedy show aired on television.

In 1983, the talented entertainer appeared on The Tonight Show, telecast on NBC. He was also signed for two low-budget movies, Rubberface and Copper Mountain.

The next year, he starred in the television serial, The Duck Factory, aired on NBC, in the main role of an artist. Though the sitcom never saw the light of the day, it helped Jim land more roles in Hollywood movies.

During 1985-89, the actor was cast in the horror-comedy movie Once Bitten alongside Lauren Hutton and Karen Kopins. He played supporting characters in movies like The Dead Pool and Peggy Sue Got Married. Around the same time, he also acted with comedian Damon Wayans in the film Earth Girls Are Easy.

In 1990, Carrey began appearing on the Fox network show In Living Color, designed by Damon Wayan's brother Keenen. Two years later, he played another small role in the movie Doing Time on Maple Drive.

It was in 1994 that this brilliant comic actor got his big break in Hollywood, with the film, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Though the film did not go down well with most critics, it was a hit with the movie-goers, establishing Jim Carrey as a star.

During the same time, he was also cast in Dumb and Dumber and The Mask. His performances in both the movies were highly appreciated, and he won the nomination for the Golden Globe Award in the Best Actor category for the movie The Mask.

In 1995, Jim Carrey acted as Two-Face and the Riddler in the Michael Keaton starrer Batman Forever. He also featured in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, which again was a hit with audiences, though it didn't impress movie critics much.

During 1996-97, Jim was cast in two major roles in the movies The Cable Guy, directed by Ben Stiller, and Liar Liar. Both movies did exceptionally well at the box-office, with Liar Liar becoming a favorite even with critics, and getting him another Golden Globe nomination.

In 1998, he ventured into a more serious genre, starring in the movie The Truman Show. This satire brought critical acclaim to this splendid actor, who finally proved his versatility. He ended up winning the Golden Globe Award in the Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama category.

His next movie, Man on the Moon, released in 1999, and became a huge critical success. His portrayal of Andy Kaufman brought home his second and successive Golden Globe for Best Actor.

In 2000, Jim Carrey acted in the movie Me, Myself & Irene, which was directed by Farelly Brothers, who had made the actor's earlier hit, Dumb and Dumber. He was also cast in the movie, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for the fifth time.

Three years later, Jim appeared in the movie Bruce Almighty, alongside Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Aniston. Though the movie was not much appreciated by critics, it went on to gross millions at the box-office.

In 2004, this accomplished actor surprised critics and audiences once again with the romantic sci-fi drama, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, where he was cast opposite Kate Winslet.

The same year, he also appeared in the dark comedy Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, which was adapted from a children's book of the same title.

From 2005-07, Jim Carrey starred in several films like Fun with Dick and Jane, a remake of an older movie of the same name, and The Number 23, both of which received mixed reviews.

In 2008, for the first time, this brilliant actor lent his voice to an animated movie, for the character of an elephant in Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! He also featured along with fellow actors, Bradley Cooper and Zooey Deschanel, in the film Yes Man.

In 2009, the actor was cast in the famous movie, I Love You Phillip Morris, along with Scottish star, Ewan McGregor, receiving positive reviews for his comic timing. The same year, he lent voices to the characters of Ebenezer Scrooge, as well as the three ghosts in the film, Christmas Carol.

During 2011-13, he starred in the movies, Mr. Popper's Penguins, Kick-Ass 2, Dumb and Dumber To, and Burt Wonderstone. Around the same time, he wrote and published the children's book How Roland Rolls.

Carrey has been in several relationships throughout his career, initially dating pop musician Linda Ronstadt in 1983 for a brief period of eight months.

In 1987, he got married to actress Melissa Womer, and the couple has a daughter, Jane Erin, who is presently a singer. The two legally separated after eight years of marriage.

Actress Lauren Holly and Jim got married on September 23, 1996, but this marriage too did not last long. Since then, the famous actor has dated Renée Zellweger, Laurie Holden, Anine Bing, January Jones, and Jenny McCarthy. His relationship with actress McCarthy lasted for five years, before the couple publicly announced their split. Between 2012 and 2015, he dated a makeup artist named Cathriona White, who committed suicide in September 2015. In 2019, he started dating Ginger Gonzaga and broke up with her in less than a year.

In 2004, this star became a citizen of the United States, and still retains his nationality in Canada.

He has always advocated against the use of harmful chemicals in vaccinations made for children. For this purpose, he pioneered the Green Our Vaccines campaign, held in Washington D.C.