Much to the disappointment of fans, Jim Carrey has revealed his plans to step away from acting after years in the industry. Looking back, it can’t be said that he hasn’t contributed enough to his art form, most recently starring in the second installment of Sonic The Hedgehog.
Known for his eccentric humor and ability to successfully make any necessary role comedic, he has also proven his skill in darker movies such as The Number 23 and Dark Crimes. Although audiences may have seen the last of any new Carrey roles, they took to Ranker to vote for his best characters.
The Riddler
As one of the best Riddler actors, Jim Carrey put his own stamp on the widely known character to bring a surreal depiction of the villain to fans of the Batman franchise.
Whilst his exaggerated physical movements and varying tone of voice added to a comedic slant on the character, Carrey still managed to carry a sinister undertone that reminded fans of the Riddler’s villainous plans. Being part of such a popular superhero universe is never taken lightly by any actor, and Carrey was able to fit right in.
Bruce Nolan
As Bruce Nolan in Bruce Almighty, Jim Carrey had to open his imagination to something that was far from being a daily occurrence in his own life and make it watchable.
Taking on the powers of God would become an overwhelming notion for anybody, and it was clear that the powers he found himself with made Bruce a little selfish before he realized his misuse of them. Although an out-of-this-world concept, Carrey still had to find a down-to-earth root in Bruce to make the role entertaining and to be able to connect with viewers.
Truman Burbank
At first glance, the concept of The Truman Show does seem slightly too out there to be believable or to even be engaging. But the movie was so unique, and with outstanding acting, it’s near impossible not to love.
Truman’s whole life is a reality show which he is not aware of, and he believes his life is as normal as anybody else’s. With plenty of times that Truman almost found out the truth, audiences were constantly on the edge of their seats, wondering if this likable man would ever realize his life is simply a film set. Jim Carrey was able to really showcase his range of acting skills in this role, including light humor, emotion, and credibility.
Hank Evans
Me, Myself And Irene, required Jim Carrey’s skills as an actor to be stretched a step further because he had to take on two roles in one.
Portraying a state trooper (Charlie Baileygates), Carrey had to develop a second persona for Hank Evans, who was the result of Baileygates’ Dissociative Identity Disorder. The two identities were completely contrasting, but equally as watchable due to Carrey’s talent.
The Grinch
He may have stolen Christmas, but The Grinch has firmly found his place as a staple Christmas character in many a festive household.
Originally created by Dr. Seuss, the character required a portrayal with impeccable comic timing, an edge that made him a little intimidating, and a softness that made people realize there was more to him than met the eye. Jim Carrey was the perfect actor for the job, creating a character that was entertaining for adults and children alike and knocking it out of the park with some of the funniest quotes in How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
Fletcher Reede
Considering law is a serious subject, it could have been fairly assumed that creating a comedy about a lawyer would be no easy feat. However, the scriptwriting of Liar, Liar, vocalized by Jim Carrey as the lead actor, managed to create a superb comedy that gave Carrey one of his best parts.
The inability to lie causes Fletcher an untold number of inconveniences, but the eventual profundity gained from his strange experience allowed him to look at life from a different angle. While Carrey once again gave his own comedic twist to the character, he was still able to find a humanity and warmth that drew audiences in.
Lloyd Christmas
As one of the Farrelly brothers best movies, Dumb And Dumber was an early 90s hit that Jim Carrey has continued to be remembered for.
Starring alongside Jeff Daniels, Carrey made his role undeniably memorable by injecting his recognizable comedy and wit, which coupled perfectly with Daniels’ own talents. As the title suggests, the two characters were utterly foolish, but Carrey’s acting was nothing short of fantastic.
Stanley Ipkiss
Although the same character, Jim Carrey had to adopt two personalities for Stanley Ipkiss, as he was engulfed by his mask’s persona when he wore it. That in itself is a challenge, but Stanley’s newfound alter ego is highly energetic and needed to have an obvious contrast to his usual self.
The part could’ve easily crossed the line into an unbelievable ridiculousness that wasn’t engaging. However, Carrey managed to find the balance between bizarre and entertaining to make the role one of his best.
Ace Ventura
Ace Ventura became the central figure in both Pet Detective and When Nature Calls, providing a bizarre character that could have missed the mark with viewers, but he instead has become one of Carrey’s most loved roles.
The combination of in-your-face jokes and subtler humor was a hit with a wide range of audiences, with something that people with any sense of humor would find highly amusing. With his signature raised eyebrow and easily recognizable walk, Ace Ventura sailed into the top spot of best Jim Carrey characters.
