Biography

James Eugene Carrey (born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor and comedian primarily known for his energetic slapstick performances. After spending the 1980s honing his comedy act and playing supporting roles in films, Carrey gained recognition when he was cast in the American sketch comedy television series In Living Color(1990–1994). He broke out as a film star after starring in a string of box office hits, such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, Dumb and Dumber (all 1994), Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, and Batman Forever (both 1995). The success of these five films led to Carrey being the first comic actor to receive an upfront $20 million salary for performing in films, beginning with The Cable Guy (1996).

He continued to have success as a leading actor in comedies such as Liar Liar (1997), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), Bruce Almighty(2003), Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004), and Yes Man (2008). Since the 2010s, Carrey appeared in fewer films, with notable works including Dumb and Dumber To(2014) and his role as Doctor Eggman in the Sonic the Hedgehog film series (2020–present).

Although largely typecast as a comedic actor, Carrey had success in dramatic roles. His critically acclaimed performances include the title role in The Truman Show (1998) and Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon (1999), winning Golden Globe Awards for each film. He starred in the romantic drama film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind(2004), for which he was nominated for a BAFTA Award and another Golden Globe. Carrey also starred in the Showtime tragicomedy series Kidding (2018–2020), for which he received his seventh Golden Globe nomination.