Career Timeline of Jim Carrey: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Jim Carrey built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Jim Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian celebrated for his high-energy, slapstick performances. He is considered a leading comedic actor of his generation. Carrey's work has garnered critical acclaim, including two Golden Globe Awards and nominations for BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Awards, solidifying his prominent position in the entertainment industry.
1977: First Stand-up Comedy Experience
In 1977, at the age of 15, Jim Carrey had his first stand-up comedy experience at Yuk Yuk's comedy club in Downtown Toronto. His conventional impersonations did not go well, giving him doubts about his potential as a professional entertainer.
1979: Return to the Stage
In 1979, after his family's financial situation improved, Jim Carrey returned to the stage with a more polished act, leading to his first paid gig at the Hay Loft club. He then returned to Yuk Yuk's and built his reputation, going from open-mic nights to regular paid shows.
1980: Audition for Saturday Night Live
In 1980, Jim Carrey auditioned to be a cast member for NBC's Saturday Night Live but was not selected.
February 1981: Opening act for Goddo
In February 1981, 19-year-old Jim Carrey was booed offstage as the opening act for the rock band Goddo at The Roxy Theatre in Barrie.
April 1981: Appearance on An Evening at the Improv
In April 1981, Jim Carrey appeared in an episode of the televised stand-up show An Evening at the Improv.
September 1981: Starring in Introducing... Janet
In September 1981, Jim Carrey landed one of the main roles in Introducing... Janet, a made-for-TV movie that premiered on the CBC.
December 1981: Interest from The Tonight Show
By December 1981, Jim Carrey received interest from Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, largely off his reputation from Canada.
June 19, 1982: Sold-Out Shows at Massey Hall
On June 19, 1982, Jim Carrey, while touring as the opening act for Rodney Dangerfield, performed two sold-out shows at Massey Hall in Toronto.
April 1983: Performance at B.B. Magoon's and CTV Feature
In late April 1983, Jim Carrey performed at B.B. Magoon's in Toronto and was featured on CTV's W5 newsmagazine program.
November 1983: Tonight Show Debut
In late November 1983, Jim Carrey debuted his impressionist act on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as a promotional appearance for The Duck Factory.
January 1984: Scheduled Airing of The Duck Factory
In January 1984, The Duck Factory sitcom was originally scheduled to start airing.
July 1984: Debut on Late Night with David Letterman
In late July 1984, Jim Carrey made his debut appearance on NBC's Late Night with David Letterman after The Duck Factory had already been canceled.
November 1985: Release of Once Bitten
In mid November 1985, Once Bitten was released and turned out to be a modest box-office hit despite drawing poor reviews.
1986: Audition for SNL
In 1986, Jim Carrey auditioned for SNL's upcoming season, his third attempt at getting on the show. He was rejected again and began developing a new live comedy act.
1990: Joins In Living Color
In 1990, Jim Carrey became a regular cast member of the ensemble comedy television series In Living Color.
February 1994: Release of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
In February 1994, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, starring Jim Carrey, was released and went on to gross $72 million in the United States and Canada.
July 1994: Release of The Mask
In July 1994, The Mask, starring Jim Carrey, was released and grossed $351 million worldwide.
December 1994: Release of Dumb and Dumber
In December 1994, Dumb and Dumber, starring Jim Carrey, was released and became a commercial success, grossing over $270 million worldwide.
1994: Breakout film roles
In 1994, Jim Carrey broke out as a film star after starring in a string of box office hits, such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber.
1994: Continued on In Living Color
In 1994, Jim Carrey continued his run as a cast member on the comedy television series In Living Color, using the popularity of the series to land major film roles.
1995: Stars in Batman Forever and Ace Ventura sequel
In 1995, Jim Carrey played the Riddler in Batman Forever, which was a box office success. He also reprised his role as Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, which was commercially successful.
1995: Continued box office success
In 1995, Jim Carrey starred in box office hits such as Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Batman Forever.
May 1996: Hosting Saturday Night Live
In May 1996, after establishing himself as a Hollywood film star, Jim Carrey hosted Saturday Night Live.
1996: Landmark Salary
In 1996, Jim Carrey became the first comic actor to receive an upfront $20 million salary for performing in films, beginning with The Cable Guy.
1996: Stars in The Cable Guy
In 1996, Jim Carrey starred in The Cable Guy, directed by Ben Stiller, receiving mixed reviews for his departure from previous roles.
1997: Leading role in Liar Liar
In 1997, Jim Carrey starred as a leading actor in the comedy Liar Liar.
1998: Starring in The Truman Show
In 1998, Jim Carrey starred in The Truman Show and won a Golden Globe Award for his performance.
1999: Starring in Man on the Moon
In 1999, Jim Carrey starred as Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon, winning a Golden Globe Award for the film.
2000: Starring in How the Grinch Stole Christmas
In 2000, Jim Carrey continued his success by starring in the comedy How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
2000: Stars in Me, Myself & Irene and How the Grinch Stole Christmas
In 2000, Jim Carrey starred in Me, Myself & Irene, which received mixed reviews but was a box office success. He also starred in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, receiving both praise and criticism.
2003: Leading role in Bruce Almighty
In 2003, Jim Carrey starred as a leading actor in the comedy Bruce Almighty.
2004: Stars in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
In 2004, Jim Carrey starred in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, receiving critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination. He also appeared in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, which was positively received.
2004: Starring in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
In 2004, Jim Carrey starred in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.
2004: Starring in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
In 2004, Jim Carrey starred in the romantic drama film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA Award and another Golden Globe.
2005: Stars in Fun with Dick and Jane
In 2005, Jim Carrey starred in the remake of Fun with Dick and Jane, which grossed $200 million. He also quit the Dreamworks Animation film Over the Hedge.
2007: Stars in The Number 23
In 2007, Jim Carrey starred in The Number 23, a psychological thriller that was panned by critics.
2008: Starring in Yes Man
In 2008, Jim Carrey continued his success by starring in the comedy Yes Man.
2008: Voices Horton in Horton Hears a Who! and Stars in Yes Man
In 2008, Jim Carrey voiced Horton the Elephant in Horton Hears a Who!, which was a box office success. He also starred in Yes Man, which received mixed reviews but was a commercial success.
January 2009: I Love You Phillip Morris premiere at Sundance Film Festival
In January 2009, I Love You Phillip Morris, starring Jim Carrey, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, receiving positive reviews.
2009: Questioned Vaccination Merits
In 2009, Jim Carrey wrote an article questioning the merits of vaccination for The Huffington Post. He led a "Green Our Vaccines" march in Washington, D.C., advocating for the removal of "toxic substances" from children's vaccines.
February 2010: Wide release of I Love You Phillip Morris
In February 2010, I Love You Phillip Morris, starring Jim Carrey, received a wide release, continuing to garner positive reviews.
January 2011: Hosting Saturday Night Live
In January 2011, Jim Carrey hosted Saturday Night Live again.
2011: Exhibited Painting in Palm Springs
In 2011, Jim Carrey exhibited the painting "Nothing to See Here" in an art show in Palm Springs at the Heather James Fine Art Gallery.
2011: Stars in Mr. Popper's Penguins
In 2011, Jim Carrey starred in Mr. Popper's Penguins, playing Tom Popper Jr. The film received a mixed reception.
April 2012: Announcement of Dumb and Dumber sequel
In April 2012, Peter Farrelly announced that Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels would return for a Dumb and Dumber sequel, Dumb and Dumber To.
September 2012: Planned Production Start of Dumb and Dumber To
In September 2012, production was planned to begin for the Dumb and Dumber sequel, Dumb and Dumber To, with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels reprising their roles.
October 1, 2012: News Item on Dumb and Dumber To Script Completion and Actor Reprisal
On October 1, 2012, Yahoo!'s The Yo Show reported that the script for Dumb and Dumber To was complete and that original actors, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, would reprise their roles.
March 2013: Announces children's book How Roland Rolls
In March 2013, Jim Carrey announced that he had written a children's book titled How Roland Rolls.
March 2013: Stars in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone and retracts support for Kick-Ass 2
In March 2013, Jim Carrey starred in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, which underperformed at the box office. Around the same time, he retracted support for Kick-Ass 2 due to its violence.
March 25, 2013: Release of "Cold Dead Hand" parody music video
On March 25, 2013, Jim Carrey released a parody music video with Eels through Funny or Die, titled "Cold Dead Hand," lampooning American gun culture.
September 2013: Release of How Roland Rolls
In September 2013, Jim Carrey self-published and released his children's book, How Roland Rolls.
May 2014: Commencement address at Maharishi University of Management
In May 2014, Jim Carrey delivered the commencement address at Maharishi University of Management and received an honorary doctorate.
October 2014: Hosting Saturday Night Live
In October 2014, Jim Carrey hosted Saturday Night Live for the third time.
November 2014: Release of Dumb and Dumber To
In November 2014, Dumb and Dumber To, starring Jim Carrey, was released.
2014: Starring in Dumb and Dumber To
In 2014, Jim Carrey appeared in fewer films, with a notable work including Dumb and Dumber To.
July 1, 2015: Carrey Criticized Vaccination Law
On July 1, 2015, after the signing of a new vaccination law, Jim Carrey called California governor Jerry Brown a "corporate fascist" who was "poisoning" children by enacting the vaccination requirements. Carrey was criticized for his anti-vaccination statements.
2015: Producer on Rubble Kings documentary film
In 2015, Jim Carrey was a producer on Rubble Kings, a documentary film depicting events preceding and following the Hoe Avenue peace meeting.
2016: IndigNation Featured Drawings from 2016
Jim Carrey's drawing repertoire culminated in an exhibition titled IndigNation, featured 108 pen-and-ink drawings from Carrey's Twitter feed from 2016 to 2018.
June 2017: Showtime Aired "I'm Dying Up Here"
In June 2017, Showtime began airing the dramedy "I'm Dying Up Here", for which Carrey served as the executive producer. The show, which chronicles a group of stand-up comics in 1970s Los Angeles, incorporates aspects of Carrey's own experience.
August 2017: Shared Political Cartoon Drawings
Since August 2017, Jim Carrey has shared his own political cartoon drawings, including renderings of Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Donald Trump.
2017: Revealed Painting Passion
In 2017, Jim Carrey revealed that he had been painting for the past six years. He released a six-minute documentary entitled "I Needed Color", which showed him working in his studio.
2017: Documentaries About Carrey Released
In 2017, Jim Carrey was the subject of two documentaries. "I Needed Color", a short subject about his passion for art, was released online in the summer. Later in 2017, "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond" premiered, chronicling the behind-the-scenes drama during the shooting of "Man on the Moon".
June 2018: Cast as Dr. Ivo Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog Film
In June 2018, Carrey was cast as Dr. Ivo Robotnik in a film adaptation of the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series.
October 23, 2018: IndigNation Exhibition Opened
On October 23, 2018, Jim Carrey's drawing repertoire culminated in an exhibition titled IndigNation, which opened at the Maccarone Gallery in Los Angeles and featured 108 pen-and-ink drawings from Carrey's Twitter feed from 2016 to 2018.
2018: Starring in Kidding
In 2018, Jim Carrey starred in the Showtime tragicomedy series Kidding, for which he received his seventh Golden Globe nomination.
February 2020: Release of Sonic the Hedgehog Film
In February 2020, the Sonic the Hedgehog film was released to positive reviews, with Carrey's portrayal of Dr. Ivo Robotnik being praised.
December 19, 2020: Carrey Stepped Down from Playing Joe Biden on Saturday Night Live
On December 19, 2020, Jim Carrey announced that he would step down from playing Joe Biden on "Saturday Night Live", stating that he had a six-week deal.
2020: Role as Doctor Eggman in Sonic the Hedgehog
In 2020, Jim Carrey played Doctor Eggman in the Sonic the Hedgehog film series.
2020: Starring in Kidding series
In 2020, Jim Carrey starred in the Showtime tragicomedy series Kidding, for which he received his seventh Golden Globe nomination.
February 2021: Carrey Discontinued Political Cartoons
In February 2021, Jim Carrey announced he would discontinue political cartoons.
January 7, 2022: Carrey Narrated The Weeknd's Album Dawn FM
On January 7, 2022, Carrey appeared as the narrator of The Weeknd's album "Dawn FM".
April 2022: Release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2
In April 2022, Carrey returned for "Sonic the Hedgehog 2", which grossed $72 million at the US box office in its opening weekend, marking the best opening of his career to date.
April 2022: Carrey Considered Retirement
In April 2022, Jim Carrey announced that he was considering retirement, stating he had "done enough".
February 2024: Carrey Reprised Role in Sonic the Hedgehog 3
In February 2024, it was announced that Jim Carrey would reprise his role as Dr. Ivo Robotnik in "Sonic the Hedgehog 3". Carrey will also play Ivo Robotnik’s grandfather, Gerald Robotnik.
December 2024: Carrey Planned a "Power Rest" Instead of Retirement
In December 2024, Jim Carrey clarified that he planned to "power rest" rather than retire, and was open to continuing his role in the Sonic film series.
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