Jim Carrey is looking back on creating one of his most iconic roles—a process he loathed entirely.
The actor, famous for playing the Grinch in the 2000 movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas, shared that he almost quit the film because the bulky green suit, detailed makeup, and long preparation time were incredibly challenging.
He described the suit as incredibly itchy, made from yak hair that bothered him all day. In an interview with Vulture published on December 12th, he explained that the suit’s long fingers prevented him from scratching or touching his face. He also had prosthetic teeth that made speaking difficult, and special contact lenses that severely limited his vision to a small area directly in front of him.
Jim, 63, admitted he’d specifically requested the character’s detailed costume, but it soon started giving him panic attacks. This led to a crucial discussion with the film’s director, Ron Howard, and producer, Brian Grazer.
He explained that the initial makeup application took a full eight hours. After that, he went to the trailer and told Ron and Brian he couldn’t continue with the film and was resigning from the project.
Ron, age 71, said Jim seemed genuinely serious about leaving the film, even willing to forfeit his $20 million paycheck.
Luckily, they convinced Jim to stay involved by having him train with Richard Marcinko, a U.S. Navy SEAL commander. Marcinko taught Jim techniques to withstand discomfort and keep going while wearing the difficult costume.
He remembered a list of unusual things he tried when he started to feel overwhelmed. These included self-inflicted pain, like hitting himself in the leg, asking a trusted friend to let him punch them, even eating everything he could find. He also mentioned trying to disrupt his surroundings – rearranging things or switching from TV to the radio.
Surprisingly, Marcinko even told Jim to smoke as many cigarettes as he could, which created a strange dynamic off-camera.
He recounted having photos taken of himself dressed as the Grinch, posed in a director’s chair and holding a long cigarette holder. He explained the holder wasn’t just a prop – the Grinch’s yak hair beard was flammable and needed to be kept away from any flames.
In addition to the survival training, Jim – who acted with Taylor Momsen in the film – found his own way to handle the experience, which deeply affected him.
He shared that listening to the Bee Gees got him through the lengthy makeup process, which eventually took around three hours. He listened to all of their music, describing it as joyful, and expressed his gratitude to Barry Gibb, whom he hasn’t yet met.
For more on how Dr. Seuss’ holiday classic came to life onscreen, keep reading…
Jim Carrey famously stayed in character both on and off screen while portraying comedian Andy Kaufman in the 1999 film Man on the Moon.
Because filming for How the Grinch Stole Christmas began in the same year, the actor ended up working on both movies at the same time.
During a discussion at the 2017 Venice Film Festival, where the documentary Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond premiered, Jim Carrey explained that his persona at the time was separate from who he is now, saying, ‘Jim Carrey didn’t exist at that time.’ He also added that his experience embodying Andy Kaufman even influenced his performance as the Grinch.
Carrey mentioned he once spent two hours on a phone call with Howard, but he stayed in character as Andy the entire time, going over notes with him.
“It was psychotic at times,” he admitted.
According to director Ron Howard, Jim Carrey even met with Audrey Geisel, the widow of Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel, author of How the Grinch Stole Christmas), while preparing for his role as the Grinch.
Audrey controlled her late husband’s legacy, having final approval over any projects related to it.
But apparently she appreciated Carrey’s commitment to both characters.
Howard recounted to Empire magazine in 2000 that he’d invited Mrs. Geisel to the film set. He said Jim Carrey initially interacted with her in a way that reminded him of Andy Kaufman, then would suddenly switch to fully embodying the Grinch – complete with the character’s signature grin – captivating her completely. When Howard finally presented his idea for a film, she immediately responded, ‘I love it, and I want Jim Carrey to play the Grinch.’ This was exactly what Howard had hoped for, as he wouldn’t have considered making the movie with anyone else.
This was just the start of a successful voice acting career for Carrey, who also provided the voice for Horton in the popular 2008 animated film, Horton Hears a Who!
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always loved the whimsical wisdom of Dr. Seuss! In his classic, Horton Hears a Who!, he playfully reminds us that perspective is everything. It’s easy to get caught up in our own little worlds – feeling like we’re the center of everything – but Seuss beautifully illustrates that even entire communities can exist on a scale we barely perceive. It’s a charming way to think about how much is happening around us, often unnoticed, and how interconnected we all are.
Interestingly, the tiny Whos that Horton hears are actually from the same Whoville featured in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, according to the established stories of Dr. Seuss.
Taylor Momsen, the actress who played Cindy Lou Who at age seven, used to receive candy bars from Jim Carrey, who brought them from his home country of Canada.
Blake Lively shared a funny story from 2000, telling TopMob that her co-star used to jokingly blame her for him forgetting his lines. He’d tell people she gave him too much candy, claiming the sugar rush made him ‘hyped up.’ She said it’s just a story he likes to tell.
She remembered giving him toffees, but couldn’t recall what chocolate bar he liked best. However, he vividly remembered being surrounded by his favorite candy.
She knew I loved Crunchies – they were my favorite chocolate bar from Canada – and she kept buying them for me constantly,” he explained to TopMob.
Working with James Horner, the Academy Award-winning composer of Titanic, on the songs for Cindy Lou helped Momsen discover her true passion for making music.
Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless recalled a pivotal moment in 2020 on TODAY: walking into a stunning studio and recording ‘Where Are You, Christmas?’ for the first time. Putting on headphones and singing into the microphone sparked a lifelong passion for music. She realized then that she wanted to spend her life making music and being in a recording studio.
Performing the tune on set, Momsen said, “essentially, that was my first music video.”
Jim Carrey said everyone involved felt like they were creating something extraordinary. He remembers walking onto the set and being amazed, thinking, ‘This is unbelievable!’
He described feeling like he’d stepped into The Wizard of Oz, constantly wondering about the original filmmakers’ thought process and marveling at their creativity. He was fascinated by how they came up with such imaginative ideas.
Meanwhile, Momsen did her communing with the 1939 Judy Garland classic before she came to set.
“I love how creative you are,” she said. “When I was a kid, I’d dress up as Dorothy or pretend to be Glinda and play around the house.”
Makeup artist Kazu Hiro initially created a Grinch look that the studio felt was too extreme. They wanted Jim Carrey to still be clearly recognizable, so they asked Hiro to make the makeup less dramatic.
I remember working with Jim Carrey on How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and it was fascinating! Initially, he envisioned a very subtle transformation – just a little green makeup, some highlights and shadows, and a wig. He even filmed himself making Grinch faces to test it out, and it looked good, but he quickly realized that simply changing his color and adding a wig wasn’t enough to become the Grinch. He understood that we needed to go further with the makeup and prosthetics to truly capture the character, and thankfully, he agreed that our more involved approach was the right way to go.
After many failed attempts to refine the Grinch’s appearance, and with filming rapidly approaching, the team finally reverted to Hiro’s original design, just days before they were scheduled to begin shooting.
Hiro remembered that a typical day began between 5 and 6 a.m. He estimated he worked on Jim Carrey’s makeup four days a week for about three months. The makeup application itself took roughly two hours and ten minutes. With assistance from Amy Schmiederer, his makeup assistant, he worked efficiently to avoid keeping Jim in the makeup chair for too long.
The makeup process involved three key stages: first, applying foam rubber pieces to cover most of his face, leaving only his lower lip and chin exposed. Next, they painted the pieces to add color. Finally, they attached hairpieces and a wig. After each of these steps, Jim took a 10 to 30 minute break.
Hari said the hardest part was making the makeup last all day, explaining that things like moving around and sweating could cause it to fade or smear.
Hari explained that Jim Carrey was always in motion during filming, requiring frequent makeup adjustments. However, once Carrey began a scene, he was determined to perfect it, repeatedly performing the same shot multiple times – often at least three or more – to achieve the best possible result. During these takes, he preferred not to have his makeup touched up.
The artist carried a heavy tool belt – makeup expert Rick Baker guessed it weighed around 100 pounds – to ensure he had everything needed while working with the actor.
In 2001, Gail Rowell-Ryan, the key hairstylist, and her team won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
Time did not make Carrey’s heart grow fonder for the Grinch costume.
He remembered on The Graham Norton Show in 2014 that it took eight and a half hours to apply his full makeup for the first time, which he described as feeling like “being buried alive.”
Let me tell you a story about a time a movie almost didn’t happen! I was so stressed on set, I actually kicked a hole in the wall of my trailer – seriously! I told Ron Howard I couldn’t go on with the film. Thankfully, Brian Grazer, who’s amazing at problem-solving, stepped in. His solution? He brought in an expert – a guy who literally trains CIA agents in how to withstand torture! It was a wild time, but it saved the day.
Carrey remembered being told to try anything to distract himself from anxiety – eat whatever was in front of him, turn on the TV, break his routine, or even ask someone to snap him out of it. He was even advised to self-soothe with physical sensations, like hitting himself or smoking as much as he could.
Asked how long this went on for, Carrey said he was in makeup 100 times.
“And you know what got me through it?” he added. “The Bee Gees.”
Carrey wasn’t joking about that.
Hiro told the LA Times that while she was applying makeup, he’d usually be watching a DVD or listening to music. He often played a Bee Gees live album – it might have been their 1977 concert recording, Here at Last…Bee Gees…Live.
The artist explained that she started applying makeup in sync with the album’s music, using the rhythm to keep her timing right. One day, a colleague named Jim borrowed the CD. Worried he might forget to return it and disrupt her makeup routine, she quickly bought a replacement copy and brought it to work the following week.
Which was good thinking, he said, because Carrey did forget to bring the CD back.
Carrey later autographed Hiro’s copy.
On the day Carrey recalled putting his leg through the wall, Hiro felt the tension in the air.
He explained to the LA Times that while every first day of filming usually has some issues, this was the first time they’d fully tested the final look on Jim, and they weren’t sure how he’d react. Both he and Jim were anxious. As it turned out, Jim didn’t like how the wig covered his neck, so they had to make adjustments on the spot, delaying the start of filming.
And, he added, “Jim is a perfectionist, and every time there was a change, he said something.”
Hiro explained that Jim’s biggest issue with the makeup was the contact lenses. The set used fake snow made of crushed paper, and tiny particles were constantly floating in the air. This dust kept getting trapped between the lenses and Jim’s eyes, causing him discomfort.
Howard said Carrey was a guy who really couldn’t wear contacts.
The director explained to Empire that the actor had to go through with the challenging process, as it was essential for his character. However, they often had an eye doctor on set with a strong magnifying glass because the actor kept getting debris in his eyes, which sometimes prevented them from filming.
A mistake during the editing of the 2000 film How the Grinch Stole Christmas briefly showed Jim Carrey’s real eyes, without his green contact lenses. This single frame, which became popular online in 2022, revealed the actor’s brown eyes as the Grinch discovers Whoville is still celebrating Christmas, even after his attempts to stop it.
I was fascinated to hear Jim Carrey describe how he handled discomfort during a challenging time. He called it a real lesson in Zen! Apparently, he’d actually punch himself in the leg when things got tough – it was almost comical because everyone noticed! He discovered this technique of distracting himself from pain by pinching or lightly hitting another part of your body. He admitted it was really difficult for the first couple of weeks, but eventually, he managed to push through it. It’s just incredible what the human body and mind can adapt to, isn’t it?
Carrey would waste no time getting de-Grinched after filming wrapped for the day.
According to Hari, when filming wrapped, the lens, suit, and I would rush over to help the actor out of his Grinch costume. We’d quickly remove everything except the Grinch face and the black spandex suit he wore underneath. Then he’d head back to his trailer to relax and begin removing the makeup himself.
Jim Carrey collected the bits of foam rubber that came off his face during makeup and saved them in a plastic bag along with the daily shooting schedule. He then gave these pieces to people working on set as keepsakes.
At the time, Hiro said all was well that ended well.
It’s funny, about two months after we finished filming, Jim and I had another conversation. He was incredibly kind – he told me he really admired my work and said I did a fantastic job, which meant a lot. Of course, I thanked him because going through that whole experience was tough on everyone. Honestly, How the Grinch Stole Christmas was the most challenging film I’ve ever been a part of. It’s a really good memory now, but let me tell you, we definitely wouldn’t be signing up to do that one again!
Hiro, now a two-time Oscar winner for his work on Darkest Hour (2017) and Bombshell (2019), began attending therapy following his time on HTGSC.
In a 2018 interview with Vulture, Hiro explained that things became so strained on set that a producer proposed he temporarily leave, hoping to demonstrate to Jim Carrey how vital he was to the film. While the movie had a large makeup team, Hiro was the sole artist specifically credited with working on the Grinch’s makeup.
So, Hiro was really worried because Jim Carrey hadn’t gotten back to him after he reached out a week prior. But Howard stepped in and reassured him – he’d actually spoken with Jim, and Jim promised he was working on being more responsive and following through. It’s always good to hear someone is committed to improving, right?
Although his friends suggested he request a significant salary increase, the artist, who was born in Kyoto, chose to ask the studio for assistance with obtaining a green card instead.
It was successful, and he later became a U.S. citizen. He also discovered through therapy that he was naturally an introvert.
Boris Karloff, famous for playing Frankenstein, actually narrated and provided the voice for the Grinch in the 1966 animated TV special How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. Because of this, many people mistakenly believe he also sang the famous song, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”
It wasn’t him. The singer was actually Thurl Ravencroft, and he was also the voice of Tony the Tiger in Frosted Flakes commercials for many years.
For the 2000 film, sans exclamation point, Carrey did his own vocal on the classic tune.
Howard acknowledged the movie’s production was quite unusual. The set and costume teams, at least, had the original children’s book as a guide, but they couldn’t fully begin their work until the writers completed the screenplay.
Jim Carrey didn’t need a script, and he spontaneously came up with lines like, “6:30 p.m. Dinner with me. I can’t cancel that again.”
Director Ron Howard has frequently cast his actor brother, Clint Howard, in his movies, appearing in 17 films together over the years. Their collaborations began with 1977’s Grand Theft Auto and continued as recently as 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story.
That’s Clint portraying Mayor Augustus May, alongside his flattering assistant, Bris, in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.
Honestly, it was Clint who came up with the amazing idea of getting my idol to wear the Grinch makeup! Can you believe it? He thought it would lift everyone’s spirits, and it totally did! It was the most incredible thing ever, and I’m still obsessed with the fact that Clint thought of it!
Howard explained to Empire that morale was low, and he wanted to do something to lift spirits. He decided to surprise everyone by showing up to work in full makeup. He recounted how he secretly got ready around 3:30 a.m., shocked Jim with his appearance, and got a good laugh from the crew. He felt it showed he was willing to go the extra mile to brighten things up, even if just for a day.
He didn’t like wearing contact lenses at all. Howard explained that getting a custom pair made for just one day wasn’t worth the cost, but he also admitted, quite simply, that he ‘didn’t want to wear the damn things’.
Howard remembered that Carrey struggled with intense anxiety and claustrophobia while wearing the suit, even having panic attacks and needing to breathe into a paper bag. The director often tried to lift his spirits, before eventually being able to share the film’s impressive $350 million worldwide box office success with him.
Howard, a former child actor on a 1950s sitcom, knew the actor was a big fan of Don Knotts, who famously played Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show. So, he invited Knotts to visit the set.
In a 2023 interview with Graham Bensinger, Howard recalled wishing he’d been recording when Jim Carrey, who he called a “genius impressionist,” flawlessly impersonated Don Knotts while wearing his Grinch costume.
Ultimately, Howard recognized the immense pain Carrey was experiencing, but he accepted that Carrey needed to do what he felt was necessary.
And, er, why was Carrey doing this again?
He explained that his lifelong love of the Grinch was what originally inspired him to take on such a challenging project.
I’ve always been moved by his transformation, because it shows anyone can change,” he told TopMob in 2000. “Most people simply want to feel included and accepted, and they will if you let them.
And he also wanted to call foul on the avarice.
Jim Carrey explained that the book’s original purpose, as he sees it, was to reveal the true meaning of Christmas and help us reflect on our own values during the holiday season. Despite the commercialization of Christmas, he believes its core message of family, love, and acceptance still resonates deeply, reminding us that we’re all connected.
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2025-12-16 21:19