Jim Carrey Turns 63! See 10 of His Most Iconic Film Roles, fromThe MasktoThe Truman Show

Mar. 15, 2025

Jim Carrey’s filmography is timeless.The actor, who turns 63 on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, has starred in some of the most memorable films of the last 30 years. Although he initially broke into the mainstream with his comedy skills inThe MaskandDumb and Dumber, he’s shown his ability to take a more dramatic turn with classics likeThe Truman ShowandEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.Even as the star has taken a step back from acting — only returning to reprise his role as Dr. Ivo Robotnik in theSonicfranchise — he’s already cemented himself as an industry legend.As the two-timeGolden Globewinner celebrates his birthday, look back at 10 of his most iconic roles.

Jim Carrey’s filmography is timeless.

The actor, who turns 63 on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, has starred in some of the most memorable films of the last 30 years. Although he initially broke into the mainstream with his comedy skills inThe MaskandDumb and Dumber, he’s shown his ability to take a more dramatic turn with classics likeThe Truman ShowandEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Even as the star has taken a step back from acting — only returning to reprise his role as Dr. Ivo Robotnik in theSonicfranchise — he’s already cemented himself as an industry legend.

As the two-timeGolden Globewinner celebrates his birthday, look back at 10 of his most iconic roles.

01of 10

Ace Ventura in ‘Ace Ventura: Pet Detective’

Jim Carrey as Ace Ventura.Morgan Creek International/Kobal/Shutterstock

Morgan Creek International/Kobal/Shutterstock

02of 10Stanley Ipkiss in ‘The Mask’Jim Carrey as The Mask.New Line/Dark Horse/Kobal/ShutterstockHe stepped into a superhero persona for the fantasy comedy filmThe Mask, playing a mild-mannered man who discovers an ancient wooden mask that transforms him into a wildly extroverted shapeshifter. OppositeCameron Diazin her breakout role, Carrey led the film to massive commercial success and acclaim, makingThe Maskthe most profitable film adaptation of a comic book at the time.

02of 10

Stanley Ipkiss in ‘The Mask’

Jim Carrey as The Mask.New Line/Dark Horse/Kobal/Shutterstock

New Line/Dark Horse/Kobal/Shutterstock

He stepped into a superhero persona for the fantasy comedy filmThe Mask, playing a mild-mannered man who discovers an ancient wooden mask that transforms him into a wildly extroverted shapeshifter. OppositeCameron Diazin her breakout role, Carrey led the film to massive commercial success and acclaim, makingThe Maskthe most profitable film adaptation of a comic book at the time.

03of 10

Lloyd Christmas in ‘Dumb and Dumber’

Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels as Lloyd and Harry.Mark Fellman/New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock

Mark Fellman/New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock

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Fletcher Reede in ‘Liar Liar’

InLiar Liar, Carrey’s pants were on fire as divorced lawyer Fletcher Reede, a pathological liar who is cursed to tell the truth for a day. He continued his run of acclaim with a nuanced performance that earned him a second nod at the Golden Globes.

05of 10

Truman Burbank in ‘The Truman Show’

06of 10The Grinch in ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas’Jim Carrey as The Grinch.Ron Batzdorff/Imagine Ent/Kobal/ShutterstockCarrey became unrecognizable as the titular green meanie in the 2000 Christmas stapleHow The Grinch Stole Christmas.With his over-the-top movements and pinpoint accurate comedic timing, Carrey received a nomination for leading actor in a comedy or musical at the Golden Globes for his portrayal of the Dr. Seuss character.He’s said he’s open to reprising the character, on one condition —he doesn’t have to undergo the six hours in the makeup and prosthetics chairso torturous he had to work with a Navy SEAL to learn how to endure it.

06of 10

The Grinch in ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas’

Jim Carrey as The Grinch.Ron Batzdorff/Imagine Ent/Kobal/Shutterstock

Carrey became unrecognizable as the titular green meanie in the 2000 Christmas stapleHow The Grinch Stole Christmas.With his over-the-top movements and pinpoint accurate comedic timing, Carrey received a nomination for leading actor in a comedy or musical at the Golden Globes for his portrayal of the Dr. Seuss character.He’s said he’s open to reprising the character, on one condition —he doesn’t have to undergo the six hours in the makeup and prosthetics chairso torturous he had to work with a Navy SEAL to learn how to endure it.

07of 10

Bruce Nolan in ‘Bruce Almighty’

Morgan Freeman and Jim Carrey as God and Bruce.Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

08of 10Joel Barish in ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet as Joel and Clementine.Focus FeaturesEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindfeatured Carrey in a fully dramatic role — a departure from his typical comedic lean. Director Michel Gondry even prohibited Carrey from improvising any of his lines as the lovelorn Joel Barish, who undergoes a procedure to forget his relationship withKate Winslet’s Clementine Kruczynski.“It’s hard to be funny. It’s far easier to take someone really funny and bring them down than do the opposite,” Gondry toldThe Daily Beastof his casting choices. “We all felt that Jim was an unexpected — but good — choice.”

08of 10

Joel Barish in ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’

Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet as Joel and Clementine.Focus Features

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindfeatured Carrey in a fully dramatic role — a departure from his typical comedic lean. Director Michel Gondry even prohibited Carrey from improvising any of his lines as the lovelorn Joel Barish, who undergoes a procedure to forget his relationship withKate Winslet’s Clementine Kruczynski.

“It’s hard to be funny. It’s far easier to take someone really funny and bring them down than do the opposite,” Gondry toldThe Daily Beastof his casting choices. “We all felt that Jim was an unexpected — but good — choice.”

09of 10Count Olaf in ‘Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events’Emily Browning, Jim Carrey and Liam Aiken as Violet, Count Olaf and Klaus.Duhamel/Paramount/Kobal/ShutterstockThe film adaptation of Lemony Snicket’s 13-book series saw Carrey in another villainous role as the menacing Count Olaf, who plots to steal the fortunes of the recently orphaned Baudelaire children. He transformed into the murderous mastermind with Academy Award-winning makeup and prosthetics — but retained his signature mannerisms.

09of 10

Count Olaf in ‘Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events’

Emily Browning, Jim Carrey and Liam Aiken as Violet, Count Olaf and Klaus.Duhamel/Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock

Duhamel/Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock

The film adaptation of Lemony Snicket’s 13-book series saw Carrey in another villainous role as the menacing Count Olaf, who plots to steal the fortunes of the recently orphaned Baudelaire children. He transformed into the murderous mastermind with Academy Award-winning makeup and prosthetics — but retained his signature mannerisms.

10of 10Dr. Eggman in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’Jim Carrey as Dr. Eggman.Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.After slowing down his acting career in the 2010s, Carrey made his blockbuster return to the silver screen as theSonicfranchise’s main antagonist Dr. Ivo Robotnik, best known as Dr. Eggman. With a possible fourth film on the horizon, Carrey has toldCinema Todayhe would return — bald cap, exaggerated mustache and all — if the premise interests him.

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Dr. Eggman in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’

Jim Carrey as Dr. Eggman.Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.

Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.

After slowing down his acting career in the 2010s, Carrey made his blockbuster return to the silver screen as theSonicfranchise’s main antagonist Dr. Ivo Robotnik, best known as Dr. Eggman. With a possible fourth film on the horizon, Carrey has toldCinema Todayhe would return — bald cap, exaggerated mustache and all — if the premise interests him.

source: people.com