20 Times Jim Carrey Broke People On Set

The majority of the highest-earning actors in history are action heroes, but Jim Carrey stands out as a distinct member of this exclusive group because he primarily made his fortune through comedies and, interestingly, not a vast number of them. Yet, Carrey effortlessly established himself as a comedy legend by showcasing his remarkable ability to bring laughter to audiences with his exceptional talent.

Over a span of five decades, Jim Carrey has made audiences laugh from his early minor film roles, through his time on the groundbreaking comedy show “In Living Color,” to portraying the main antagonist in the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie trilogy. Much like other great comedic actors, Carrey’s talent isn’t limited to making audiences laugh; it also includes leaving his co-stars struggling to keep a straight face during filming, whether it was due to his deliberate attempts to make them crack up or simply because he’s so inherently funny.

Jim Carrey literally brings Tommy Davidson to his knees

After attempting to be part of “Saturday Night Live” on three different occasions, only to be turned down every time, Carrey eventually found an alternative route to fame in sketch comedy. In 1990, he joined the initial cast of Fox’s sketch series “In Living Color,” rapidly establishing himself as one of the show’s most successful newcomers. It soon became clear that “SNL” had missed out on a tremendous opportunity, as it was evident that Carrey was destined to become one of the leading comedians of his era.

Back then too, it was clear that Carrey enjoyed being playful and entertaining his fellow actors during filming. In this extra scene, Carrey decided to take things a step further by exaggerating the compliments he and his co-stars were giving to Tommy Davidson’s character. His off-the-cuff remark, however, was rather crude, causing Davidson to burst into uncontrollable laughter, even falling to his knees.

He breaks David Alan Grier without even trying

In other words, Jim Carrey often makes his co-stars unintentionally crack up during filming, not because he’s intentionally trying to make them laugh, but rather due to his energetic performances and line deliveries.

In an extra scene from “In Living Color,” Jim Carrey appears to not be delivering anything particularly humorous. However, David Alan Grier finds it hard to suppress a smirk while Carrey is speaking, and it seems Carrey can see this reaction on the monitor since he subsequently loses composure himself. This causes Grier to break into laughter, and in the subsequent take, his amusement overtakes him almost instantly when Carrey stumbles with his lines.

Courteney Cox can’t hide her laughter in this Ace Ventura scene

In 1994, Jim Carrey established himself as a big-screen star in the film “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” which he also co-wrote. Carrey starred as the eccentric title character who was investigating the disappearance of the Miami Dolphins’ mascot. This role provided an excellent platform for Carrey to demonstrate his ability to headline a successful comedy movie. Courteney Cox, on the verge of superstardom herself, appeared alongside Carrey in the film, and she would soon become a household name with the premiere of “Friends” a few months later.

Working alongside Carrey in numerous scenes for “Ace Ventura” likely presented a challenge for Cox in maintaining her character composure. In fact, there’s at least one scene where her suppressed laughter made it into the final cut – likely because it was the take with the least amount of chuckles. During the scene where Carrey portrays Ace pretending to rewind himself, Cox is caught multiple times trying hard not to laugh, even when she’s off-camera, you can see it in her shoulders subtly shaking.

Ian McNeice plugs his ears and laughs as Carrey improvises an entire song

Jim Carrey wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls,” and he primarily agreed to do it due to contractual obligations. Unlike the original movie, this sequel isn’t widely recognized as a classic. However, there are some humorous scenes in it. One of those funny moments was actually inspired by Carrey’s exceptional improvisation abilities.

In a tricky moment when he struggled to recall his lines for a specific scene, Carrey opted to perform the theme song from the 1968 movie “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” Surprisingly, Ian McNeice, Carrey’s co-star in that scene, went along with it as Carrey sang. For the climax, Carrey amplified the music and roared out the last line. Instead of covering his ears, McNeice couldn’t help but flash a broad grin. The audience adored it, and the scene, including McNeice’s improvised part, ended up in the final cut of the film.

The most annoying sound in the world breaks Jeff Daniels

1994 saw Jim Carrey shine in three groundbreaking comedies, among them “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” and “The Mask”, where he mostly carried the comedic load. However, it was the third film, “Dumb and Dumber”, that showcased his skill at teaming up for a buddy comedy, partnering with Jeff Daniels, who was then unexpectedly cast in this role.

Daniel demonstrated he could excel in slapstick comedy films if desired, showcasing his potential in this field. However, even he wasn’t impervious to being taken aback by Carrey’s antics, an instance that became particularly memorable during a spontaneous, side-splitting scene. In this moment, when Lloyd (Carrey) inquired whether Joe (Mike Starr) wanted to hear the most aggravating sound imaginable, neither Starr nor Daniels knew what was coming next. When Carrey unleashed that now-famous shriek, Daniels is briefly seen giggling before the camera switches focus. In contrast, Starr merely flinched in response.

Dumb and Dumber To seemed fun to make, at least

Although “Dumb and Dumber To” might turn out to be one of Jim Carrey’s less successful films, judging by the fun-filled blooper reel for this long-awaited sequel, it appears that everyone involved enjoyed working on it immensely. This joy seemed not to be limited only to the main duo.

In the sequel, Kathleen Turner enters as a past love interest for both Lloyd (Carrey) and Harry (Daniels). In this particular scene, Turner tries to deliver a straight line without humor. However, Carrey seizes the moment and begins swaying comically, which sets Turner off into fits of laughter. It’s likely that Daniels caught on to Carrey’s antics and decided to participate as well.

Matthew Broderick’s reaction to this Carrey ad-lib was genuine

Initially overlooked and a surprising flop for Jim Carrey during his peak period, “The Cable Guy” later gained recognition as a timeless dark comedy. Maybe viewers weren’t ready to witness Carrey portray such a sinister character, given he was essentially the movie’s primary antagonist.

Despite Steven (Matthew Broderick) growing weary and even frightened by Chip (Carrey) and their overly close bond, they do have some amusing interactions. One of these humorous instances was spontaneously created by Carrey, as it was his improvisation when Chip covered his face with turkey skin and performed his “Silence of the Lambs” sketch. Surprisingly, this scene was unscripted, and Broderick’s genuine laughter at the bit can be seen in the film.

Liar Liar’s blooper reel is a treasure trove of Carrey breaking people

As a devoted fan, I’d say that after making a name for himself with over-the-top characters, Jim Carrey decided to give a realistic performance in “Liar Liar.” Now, Fletcher Reede, played by Carrey, grapples with his inability to lie, and this struggle leads him down a path of growing mania – a trait that’s distinctly Carrey. However, in contrast to his previous roles, Carrey delivers a more subdued and grounded portrayal in “Liar Liar” than ever before.

Despite his continued antics, it seems Jim Carrey was just as goofy on set as always, if the blooper reel at the end credits is anything to go by. In this clip, Carrey is seen making absurd faces and sounds that cause co-star Richard Cole to burst into uncontrollable laughter and never quite recover. Impressively, Jennifer Tilly and Swoosie Kurtz manage to keep their cool until Carrey himself eventually succumbs to his own amusement.

Jennifer Tilly is startled into laughter

Discussing the film “Liar Liar” and Jennifer Tilly, it appears that Tilly’s character was often the focus of Jim Carrey’s attempts to make things challenging for his fellow actors. As Carrey portrayed the lawyer of Tilly’s character, their scenes were primarily set in courtrooms, which are typically serious settings. However, in the case of “Liar Liar,” the courtroom became an exception, where they could let loose and bring out the humor.

In this scene, Carrey startles Tilly by suddenly lifting a carafe towards her face. Initially, Tilly appears to try and maintain composure and go along with whatever improvisation Carrey might have planned. However, when Carrey begins to make funny noises with the carafe lid, Tilly loses control of herself, as do several crew members who can be heard bursting into laughter in the background.

Carrey gets a snort out of his Truman Show co-star

In the film, there were humorous scenes and chances for Jim Carrey’s typical eccentric outbursts, but “The Truman Show” marked his debut dramatic performance. Despite the varying quality of his subsequent serious films, this role demonstrated a strong start in portraying a man who unknowingly became the star of a reality show.

In the film, Carrey wasn’t restricted from improvising, and he actually provided one of the movie’s most memorable scenes by doing so. Specifically, the scene where Truman (Carrey) scribbles on his mirror with soap and pretends to be an astronaut, a key moment in the film’s first promotional material, was improvised by the actor. Given this, it is likely that the genuine laughter from co-stars Adam Tomei and Paul Giamatti during that scene was authentic. The fact that Tomei even snorts adds credence to the idea that their laughter was an unscripted, spontaneous reaction.

Biting off one’s nose to break one’s co-stars

Jim Carrey went through 92 intense changes during the filming of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” The actor openly admitted that it was challenging to portray the famous Dr. Seuss character, but he didn’t always appear miserable on set, as the movie has since become a beloved holiday tradition. In fact, behind-the-scenes footage indicates that Carrey was having quite a bit of fun during production.

In this scenario, Jim Carrey chose an unusual way to vent his annoyance towards the movie’s intricate prosthetics by playfully biting Jeffrey Tambor’s rubber nose prop. The force of his bite caused the nose to detach from Tambor’s face, which he then discarded by spitting it out. At first, Tambor seemed taken aback and didn’t react immediately, but before he could gather himself enough to laugh, just about everyone on set was already in fits of laughter over the absurdity of Carrey’s prank.

Christopher Darga is powerless against Carrey’s Sammy Davis Jr. impression

A film comedy about religion, featuring an actor portraying God, might seem like a risky venture. However, with Jim Carrey in the leading role and Morgan Freeman as God, “Bruce Almighty” proved to be a box office success. Furthermore, its end credits blooper reel hints at a lively and enjoyable production set.

In this extra scene, Carrey delivers an exaggerated portrayal of Sammy Davis Jr., which leaves character actor Christopher Darga struggling to keep a straight face for some moments. However, he eventually lowers his head to conceal the fact that he’s chuckling. Carrey continues to tease Darga, and eventually, they both succumb to laughter.

God himself can’t keep from laughing at Carrey’s antics

One lesser-known facts about “Bruce Almighty” is Morgan Freeman acknowledging his lack of affinity for comedy. He stated that his role in the movie was primarily to act as Jim Carrey’s straight man, and he had to make an effort not to laugh during their scenes together. However, it’s no secret that Freeman sometimes struggled to keep a straight face.

Initially, Freeman carries out his duties while Carrey displays over-the-top behavior, including dramatic gestures and funny facial expressions. However, not even God can resist Carrey’s antics, and eventually, Freeman can no longer hold in his laughter.

Craig Ferguson was ready for anything Carrey threw at him — almost

In the movie version of “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,” Jim Carrey had the chance to unleash and exaggerate his performance as the detestable Count Olaf. At times, it appeared beneficial for the film, but at others, it seemed like an attempt to disrupt his fellow actors. In this particular scene, Craig Ferguson is the unfortunate soul who shares the screen with him.

For quite some time, the camera focuses directly on Ferguson’s face while Carrey as Olaf says absurd things that Ferguson repeats and acts upon. It seems like this is done to make Ferguson lose his composure. Ferguson nearly succumbs when Carrey makes him dance a little, but he manages to hold it together for a while before eventually bursting into laughter.

Even experienced ad-libber Jeff Garlin can’t keep a straight face

Jim Carrey’s film ‘Fun with Dick and Jane’ may not be one of his best comedies, but it’s certainly not a poor choice for some laughter. As expected from a Carrey movie, there are plenty of spontaneous laughs, even from his co-stars who weren’t expecting them. Veteran improv comic Jeff Garlin, known for going with the flow in unexpected moments, was even taken aback by Carrey’s antics.

In this particular scene, Carrey is acting as if he’s a robot while he and Téa Leoni’s character are burglarizing the house belonging to Garlin’s character. There’s a slight yet noticeable instance where Garlin inadvertently reveals a smile on his face at an inappropriate time.

Kids are just as susceptible to laughing at Carrey

In “Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” Jim Carrey frequently interacts with some unpredictable co-stars – penguins! Just like any live animals on film sets, these feathery friends didn’t always follow the script. So, they occasionally broke character in a humorous way. However, it’s essential to note that this wasn’t due to Carrey’s antics but rather their natural behavior.

In this instance, it wasn’t Jim Carrey’s usual antics that caused his young co-stars to laugh uncontrollably. Instead, Carrey delivered a straightforward line in a conventional manner, but the kids he was speaking to still found themselves in fits of laughter. Interestingly enough, at times, Carrey can make his co-stars lose their composure effortlessly.

Steves Carell and Buscemi had a hard time getting through scenes with Carrey

There’s not much praise for ‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone,’ except that it boasts an impressive ensemble featuring Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, and Steve Buscemi. Despite any shortcomings in the movie, these three actors, portraying rival Las Vegas magicians, seemed to enjoy themselves while filming.

In this collection of behind-the-scenes moments, Carrey persistently tries to crack up Carell and Buscemi, and manages to do so numerous times. Regrettably, it’s one of those films where the mistakes are more amusing than the movie, but the bloopers remain enjoyable to watch.

Carrey was back in classic co-star breaking form as Doctor Robotnik

In the initial “Sonic the Hedgehog” film, Jim Carrey’s portrayal of Dr. Robotnik brought back memories of his ’90s self, renowned for delivering hilarious, exaggerated character performances. Furthermore, behind-the-scenes bloopers hint at a return to the playful, scene-stealing antics he was known for during that era.

In this video, Jim Carrey and his co-star James Marsden are frequently seen laughing at each other. However, in this particular scene, it’s mainly Carrey who causes Marsden to laugh uncontrollably. This is achieved when Carrey unexpectedly performs a bizarre dance on the porch of Marsden’s character’s house.

He helped keep the Sonic productions light and loose

Jim Carrey, who typically avoids sequels, appeared eager to take on the role of Robotnik again in “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.” The film’s behind-the-scenes footage doesn’t indicate that he was reluctant to participate.

In this scenario, Carrey didn’t interact as much with the fragile Marsden. Instead, he found himself relying on Lee Majdoub to falter. This happens when he decides not to overlook a coffee bean dropping from Majdoub’s hair, causing him to halt the scene and react with a comedically puzzled expression to address it.

How can Carrey retire when he still has this much fun?

In an unprecedented move for his Hollywood career, Jim Carrey reappeared in “Sonic the Hedgehog 3.” This marked a significant milestone as it was his third film within one franchise. The fact that he had previously hinted at retirement following “Sonic 2” made this comeback even more eye-catching. However, the temptation to reprise his role as Robotnik once again proved irresistible.

Here’s another way of saying it: For the second time, Carrey and Lee Majdoub share a hilarious moment on set, as Carrey gets his head shaved by Majdoub. Despite Carrey jokingly claiming he did “Sonic 3” for financial reasons, it’s clear that the joy he experienced working with his co-stars during filming played a big role in his decision.

2025-07-10 13:32