Jim Carrey has revealed how close he came to walking away from one of the biggest roles of his career, almost returning a $20 million paycheck while filming. How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
As the Christmas classic turns 25, the actor opened up on a new oral history with Vulture about the extreme physical and mental toll the role took on him behind the scenes.
While the 2000 Ron Howard-directed film became a massive hit, grossing $346 million worldwide and topping the domestic box office that year, Carrey says the experience of becoming the Grinch was almost unbearable.
The transformation involved hours of heavy makeup, prosthetics and a full-body suit that left him struggling to get through the day.
Legendary makeup artist Rick Baker explained that the studio initially wanted a much simpler approach.
“The studio said, ‘We’re going to pay Jim $20 million and we want to see it. Paint it green,'” Baker recalled. But he backed down, insisting that the character should look like the Grinch, not “green Jim Carrey.”
After public reaction, the studio agreed to a more elaborate design.
That decision came at a cost.
Carrey explained how the prosthetics affected his breathing and movement, saying, “In the end, I ended up breathing through my mouth for the entire movie.”
He described the suit as making it unbearably itchy, his vision severely limited, and even simple actions like scratching impossible.
Producer Brian Grazer shared that Carrey rejected digital shortcuts, insisting on fully committing to the character, even when it caused him intense pain.
“It was something I asked for and I have no one to blame but myself,” Carrey admitted.
Director Ron Howard revealed that after spending eight hours in the makeup chair on the first day, Carrey reached his breaking point.
“He was willing to give back his $20 million! I mean, he was sincere,” Howard said. The actor even began experiencing panic attacks on set.
To keep production going, the filmmakers hired a specialist trained to help people cope with extreme stress.
That guidance, along with the music of the Bee Gees, ultimately helped Carrey cope, and the makeup process was cut down to about three hours.
Looking back, Carrey has said that he would only consider reprising the Grinch using motion capture technology.
For now, his story offers a striking reminder that even the most iconic performances can come at a personal cost far greater than audiences have ever seen.
