Why Hollywood Won't Cast Jim Carrey Anymore

From his humble start as a stand-out performer in the '90s sketch comedy show In Living Color,
Jim Carrey has been one of the hottest comedians in Hollywood.
With memorable starring roles in Ace Ventura, The Mask, Batman Forever, and Dumb & Dumber...
"Wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?
Ahhh!"
...Carrey proved himself as one of the best physical comedians of the 1990s.
Even his turns in dramatic roles, like The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless
Mind were met with huge critical success.
But whether you've enjoyed him in big-budget comedies or surreal dramas, for some reason
he's been seen on screen less and less in recent years.
So, why won't Hollywood won't cast Jim Carrey anymore?
Box office confusion
Back in the day, Carrey's films were surefire box office hits, but his more recent films
have been less of a guarantee.
His more critically acclaimed films don't make a ton of money, and his most profitable
films aren't very well-loved.
While Dumb and Dumber To performed well at the box office, earning about $130 million
over its budget, reviews were unkind.
And non-franchise films, like The Incredible Burt Wonderstone and I Love You Phillip Morris,
weren't financially successful, with Wonderstone losing $3 million amid negative reviews, and
Phillip Morris only making a $7 million profit, despite largely positive reviews.
Studios want a star with a predictable box office draw before betting on a big-budget
film.
Despite his talents, no one can be sure if the next Carrey film will lay an egg.
He's not winning awards
By the early 2000s, Carrey earned four Golden Globe nominations and two wins in a short
period of time…
"You know, when I go to sleep at night, I'm not just a guy going to sleep.
I'm two-time Golden Globe winner Jim Carrey going to get some well-needed shut-eye."
But unfortunately, he hasn't been nominated for a major award since 2004's Eternal Sunshine
of the Spotless Mind.
And even though there was some critical buzz for I Love You Phillip Morris, he missed out
on all the major ceremonies.
Carrey's biggest major awards recognition since then was a Razzie nomination for worst
actor in The Number 23.
Razzie-winning actors have turned it around before, but they're not always exactly what
casting directors are looking for.
Controversial beliefs
Since his relationship with Jenny McCarthy, Carrey has been vocal about his stance on
vaccines, which he's called "poison," and referred to pro-vaccine California governor
Jerry Brown as a "corporate fascist" who "must be stopped."
While he's entitled to his personal beliefs, it can be risky for a studio to go with an
actor who could alienate audiences with his political comments, especially those relating
to public health.
In addition to that, Carrey spoke out against his own film, Kick Ass 2, in 2013, after coming
to the realization that the ultra-violent comic movie made him uncomfortable because
of recent school shootings.
Again, speaking out for your beliefs admirable, but this particular stand wasn't something
that the studio's promotional tour managers probably wanted to hear.
It wouldn't be surprising if other studios took notice.
Lawsuit trouble
As of the making of this video, Carrey is fighting against wrongful death suits filed
by the mother and ex-husband of his former girlfriend Cathriona White, who died of an
intentional drug overdose in 2015.
White's family alleges that Carrey knowingly gave their daughter sexually transmitted diseases,
lied to her, threatened her, gave her the drugs she overdosed on, and then broke up
with her to protect his public image.
Carrey responded in a statement, saying,
"I will not tolerate this heartless attempt to exploit me or the woman I loved."
He further called the allegations "irrelevant, false and improper," and a "shameless shakedown
for money."
It's entirely possible that Carey's free time might be getting sucked up by dealing with
putting these lawsuit issues behind him.
Behind the camera
More recently, Carrey has been spending more time behind the camera, working as the creator
and executive producer of the Showtime series I'm Dying Up Here.
The series draws from Carrey's experiences as a stand-up comic, starring Melissa Leo
as the owner of a comedy club in the 1970s.
Carrey doesn't act in the show, but he's been actively promoting the project and working
on it behind the scenes.
And Carrey seems like he's pretty happy with life away from the spotlight, saying during
a press panel at the Television Critics Association that he's...
"...in the process of shedding layers of persona at this time in my life.
… I'm very happy to [be] here for these guys and watch these guys enter this world
and create these characters."
How he can turn it around
For Carrey, the secret to turning his career around could lie in returning to the small
screen.
His appearance on 30 Rock and The Office made waves...
"I want the job.
I really do.
It's just the rest of my family is in the Finger Lakes right now.
I'm supposed to be in the Finger Lakes right now."
...so it's clear that if he doesn't have the box-office bang required to sell a blockbuster
anymore, there's plenty of room to return to TV, where he could be a big fish in a smaller
pond.
Who wouldn't want to see Jim Carrey in a regular role on TV again?
Like many stars, a hit show could help revitalize his career, and maybe even lead him back to
bigger movie roles in the future.
"Hey!
Take a leap, pal."
"THAT'S THE SPIRIT!"
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Why Hollywood Won't Cast Jim Carrey Anymore

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