Inside Jim Carrey's Tragic Past

When Jim Carrey is on screen, there's no doubt that he's doing what he was born to do. While audiences can't seem to get enough of his mix of kooky and heart-wrenching performances, Carrey has grappled with his career choices. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2018, the actor shared that he wanted to quit acting shortly after he rose to fame. Although Carrey's net worth exponentially increased at the time, he ultimately felt that he couldn't bow down to industry-manufactured rules created by major movie studios.

"[M]aybe it's because I felt pulled toward a different type of creative outlet and I really liked the control of painting — of not having a committee in the way telling me what the idea must be to appeal to a four-quadrant whatever," he suggested. In the following years, the "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" star took on fewer roles in the hopes that he could eventually peacefully retire. Finally, in 2022, Carrey told Access Hollywood that he would be walking away from acting to focus on his personal life. 

He was also quick to note that he hadn't drawn a line in the sand when it comes to acting and wouldn't turn down any irresistible gigs in the future. His supposed final movie, "Sonic The Hedgehog 3" is scheduled for a December 2024 release. While his decision to give up his career to lead a quieter life is uncharacteristic for celebs, it makes perfect sense for Carrey, especially given how many struggles he's endured throughout his life.

According to Jim Carrey's 2018 THR interview, his dad, Percy Carrey, had a stable career as an accountant before his employer let him go. While Percy went on to work at a tire factory, 14-year-old Jim and his siblings worked 8-hour shifts as janitors and security guards at a factory after school. The "Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind" actor recalled that his workplace was a terrifying environment where adults carried weapons. As a result, Jim was left with no choice but to bring a baseball bat to protect himself. 

During a 2003 appearance on "The Howard Stern Show," the beloved actor recalled that the factory workers made his job harder by relieving themselves in the sink. Jim also admitted that back then, he felt furious at his father for losing his job and putting them in a tough spot. His relationship with his mom wasn't all rosy either, as he revealed to THR, "My mom was addicted to pain medication. She was always there for me, she was always there in the house — but if you're high on painkillers, that's abandonment."

After a while, the Carreys couldn't bear a second longer in their jobs, so they quit and started living in a van. The scary move had a silver lining, however, because they could finally enjoy some family time and bond without dealing with the stresses of their toxic jobs. He previously admitted to Stern that despite their dire financial situation, he felt grateful for all his parents' efforts.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2013, Jim Carrey candidly shared that in his young years, he was terrified his parents would die. "I remember locking myself in the bathroom and crying because I thought they were going to die," he recalled. Carrey detailed that his overwhelming thoughts were triggered by his mom occasionally proclaiming that she had fatal health issues during dinner. 

The "Man On The Moon" actor shared how her warnings made him feel, "Things like that would just shake me to the core. It's terrifying, but that was her way of getting attention and getting love. She was a child of alcoholics and didn't get what she needed," he recalled. To make matters even more heartbreaking, it didn't seem like Carrey had a lot of people he could share his home problems with. Speaking to Interview, the humorist explained that he spent much of his free time gazing at his reflection in the mirror and pulling silly faces. 

Eventually, the actor found his calling in comedy, but his early days in the industry went horribly. When Carrey addressed the crowd at the DGA Theater in 2017, he recalled that he performed his first stand-up show when he was 15. Unfortunately, the teenage comedian couldn't even get through his entire act because the venue started playing the "Jesus Christ Superstar" soundtrack, and the audience chanted that they wanted to crucify him. The comedy club owner then took the mic from him and called him "boring" in front of the crowd (via Yahoo!).

When Jim Carrey spoke to iNews in 2017, he admitted that he went through several bouts of serious depression in his life. Speaking to CBS in 2004, he shared that he initially used an anti-depressant to cope but feared a life-long addiction, so he stopped taking it. The beloved actor explained that he was at a "low level of despair" where he could happily get through the day without knowing the reason behind his sadness. 

During an appearance on "TIFF Long Take," he explained that he took a rather optimistic outlook on his depression that was inspired by Jeff Foster's saying, "Depressed is deep rest." The "Bruce Almighty" star prefaced his thoughts by explaining that sadness was usually triggered by a significant event, but depression was a different beast altogether. "Depression is your body saying, 'F*** you, I don't wanna be this character anymore. I don't wanna hold up this avatar that you've created in the world. It's too much for me,'" he shared.

Carrey understood his mind's cues and gave up on trying to play a character when he didn't have to. In his iNews interview, Carrey admitted that he still goes through bouts of unhappiness, but they're different from his previous depressive episodes. "When the rain comes, it rains, [...] it doesn't stay. It doesn't stay long enough to immerse me and drown me anymore," the Canadian-American actor explained. Despite everything, when Carrey reflected on the sadder aspects of his life, he felt some happiness in knowing that he had gotten through it all.

All of Jim Carrey's serious romantic relationships have eventually ended. His longest relationship was his marriage to Melissa Womer, which ended in 1995 after seven years. Shortly after that, Carrey tied the knot with his "Dumb and Dumber" co-star Lauren Holly, and their marriage lasted less than a year. During a 2013 appearance on "George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight," Holly shared that the constant intrusion from paparazzi greatly strained their marriage.

Carrey went on to have a year-long, high-profile relationship with Renee Zellweger. During his appearance on "The Howard Stern Show" the Golden Globe winner admitted that he had his regrets about screwing things up with his fellow actor and dubbed her his "last great love" (via Vanity Fair). "The Mask" actor's next serious relationship was a 5-year-long romance with Jenny McCarthy. While speaking on "The Howard Stern Show," McCarthy shared that she wasn't the only one nursing a broken heart because her then 10-year-old son, Evan Asher, had grown extremely attached to the actor and constantly asked to see him. 

McCarthy claimed that she had reached out to the actor's team to help them reconnect, but it was to no avail. In the aftermath of Carrey and McCarthy's breakup, a source close to the former couple told People that Carrey is "[a] hard guy to date," adding, "Jim can run hot and he can run cold. He is someone who desperately needs to be with someone, then just as desperately needs to be alone. But at the same time, he can be a very loving, very compassionate guy."

In September 2015, Cathriona White, one of Jim Carrey's former girlfriends, died of an apparent suicide reportedly caused by an overdose. The estranged couple had reportedly had an on-again-off-again relationship since 2012. In the aftermath of her passing, White's husband, Mark Burton, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the actor. According to court documents obtained by People, Burton alleged that Carrey had given White the illegal drugs that she used for her supposed suicide. 

The actor responded through a statement which read,"What a terrible shame. It would be easy for me to get in a back room with this man's lawyer and make this go away, but there are some moments in life when you have to stand up and defend your honor against the evil in this world." However, he refused to accept blame, adding, "I will not tolerate this heartless attempt to exploit me or the woman I loved." The comedian filed a counter-complaint alleging that the lawsuit was yet another extortion tactic from White's lawyer, her mom, and Burton. 

Court documents obtained by People revealed that Carrey's late girlfriend had allegedly threatened to go public with her supposedly false claims that he had given her STDs. The "Kidding" alum claimed that he had settled the matter privately. Burton's attorney, Michael Avenatti, later shared a note with People that White supposedly wrote. The message accused Carrey of giving her STDs, mentally abusing her, and alleged that he had brought drugs into her life. The wrongful death lawsuit was dismissed in 2018.