Jim Carrey has confirmed he would reprise his role as the Grinch, but there’s one condition.
The 2000 live-action adaptation of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, starring Jim Carrey, remains a holiday classic.
While it ranks fourth in the highest-grossing Christmas movies of all time, it still holds a special place in the hearts of fans.
For comparison, the 2018 animated version of The Grinch sits at number one, with Home Alone following in second place.
Despite the enduring popularity of the film, Jim Carrey has expressed reluctance to return to the role that required him to transform into the cantankerous green character.
His hesitation isn’t surprising given the challenges he faced during the making of the original movie.
In past interviews, Carrey has downplayed rumors of reprising the Grinch, even saying in 2022 that he’d stepped away from acting entirely.
At the time, he noted it would take a ‘script that’s written in gold ink’ to lure him back to the big screen.
However, Carrey recently gave fans a glimmer of hope. Speaking with ComicBook, he hinted at the possibility of revisiting the character.
When asked which role he’d consider reprising, he said, ‘If we could figure out the Grinch’ again, he’d be open to it.
But there’s a significant caveat.
Jim Carrey has not been shy about discussing the difficult process of becoming the Grinch.
He described the makeup and prosthetics required for the role as ‘an extremely excruciating process,’ adding: “I [became the Grinch] with a ton of makeup and can hardly breathe.”
The process was so intense that producer Brian Grazer reportedly enlisted the help of a CIA expert to train Carrey in endurance techniques similar to those used to withstand torture.
The actor has even compared the experience to feeling ‘buried alive.’
Although the end result was iconic, it wasn’t without tension behind the scenes.
Kazuhiro Tsuji, the makeup artist responsible for the Grinch’s transformation, told Vulture that Carrey was ‘mean to everybody’ on set due to the stressful circumstances.
In response, the crew tried a unique approach to smooth things over.
According to Tsuji, they encouraged the actor to understand the importance of their efforts by briefly stepping away from the production.
This reportedly improved their working relationship.
Despite the difficulties, Carrey pushed through, motivated by his audience.
“The children were in my mind all the time,” he shared. “‘It’s for the kids. It’s for the kids. It’s for the kids.’”
He also hinted that advances in technology could make a return to Whoville less arduous.
“With motion capture and things like that, I could be free to do other things. Anything is possible in this world,” he explained.
While fans may dream of seeing Carrey’s Grinch on screen once more, the actor has made one thing clear: he would only reconsider the role if the costume and makeup process were reimagined.
His condition is simple but firm – only a significant change in how the character is brought to life would make a reprise feasible.
Here’s hoping that the filmmaking magic of today can create the right environment to bring Carrey back for another unforgettable holiday performance.
