The movies Jim Carrey called gifts from god: “Did I get to be in that thing? Wow, that’s amazing”

Most actors would give an arm and a leg to emulate the career of Jim Carrey. As a comedic star, he is nigh-on untouchable. His madcap, highly physical performances have graced some of the funniest films in recent memories, everything from The Mask to Bruce Almighty, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective to How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

However, what sets Carrey apart from the pack is his ability to get serious. He starred as Andy Kauffman in the biopic Man on the Moon, a process that famously saw him embody the late comedian even when the cameras weren’t rolling. Not all of his non-comedic films have landed – see the disastrous The Number 23 for proof – but his willingness to step out of his comfort zone and his ability to do it well puts him in the upper echelons of “comedians-turned-serious-actors”.

In conversation with Blackfilm, Carrey shot down the idea that any actor should ever be typecast. “No human being is just one thing,” he said. “I think we’re past the time in history where you have to come out and say, ‘you know I’m just happy all the time! I’m a joker, I’m a crazy man!’” He took this opportunity to mention two of the films most associated with his dramatic career, for which he was extremely grateful. “I feel so lucky that I’ve had so many opportunities to do those things,” he said of non-comedic movies. “[The] Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine [of the Spotless Mind] were like gifts from God for me.”

Peter Weir’s 1998 film The Truman Show was one of the first examples of Carrey flexing some of his dramatic muscles. As the titular character, the unknowing star of a globally popular reality TV show, he was able to display a range of emotions, notably during his confrontation with Ed Harris’ Christof. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind shunned almost all of Carrey’s comedic leanings, casting him as a heartbroken man wanting to erase the memories of his ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslett).

“Sometimes I sit back and somebody talks about Eternal Sunshine and I go, ‘did I get to be in that thing? Wow, that’s amazing.’” Carrey continued. “I honestly feel so blessed. In the last life I pulled somebody’s hamster out of a burning building or something, I don’t know. I really feel lucky.” Critics shared his love for the project and it is still regarded as an all-time great. Winslet was nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars for her performance, though Carrey had to settle for nods at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs.

As for The Truman Show, a gig Carrey took to shake the image of him as a one-trick pony, that also remains one of the star’s crowning glories. Reviewers were in awe of his performance, his ability to blend the more eccentric elements of Truman’s personality with the heft of a man whose life had been rendered entirely void of freedom. Once again, he was shunned by the Academy, but did win the Golden Globe for ‘Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama’.

Of all the great titles in Carrey’s back catalogue, The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind stand out as not only some of the best-written and evocative, but also as examples of how special a talent the Canadian is. He would still be regarded as an icon if he’d only ever stuck to comedy, but this sort of range has elevated Carrey to legendary status.

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