The reason Jim Carrey played the Grinch makes the Christmas classic even better

Jim Carrey is best known for his comedic roles and his very peculiar style of physical comedy, and in 2000 he starred in the Christmas classic The Grinchand his reason for doing so makes it even better and more memorable. Carrey rose to fame in the 1990s after starring in some of the decade's most successful comedies, such as Ace Ventura, The maskand Idiot and more idiotas well as Joel Schumacher Batman Foreverwhere he played the famous The Riddler. Carrey maintained this streak of success throughout the 2000s, starting with How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Directed by Ron Howard and based on Dr. Seuss's classic 1957 children's book of the same name, How the Grinch Stole Christmas introduces viewers to the title character (played by Carrey), a grumpy, misanthropic green creature who hates Christmas. After a chance encounter with him and learning the source of his hatred for Christmas, six-year-old Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen) becomes determined to include the Grinch in Whoville's Christmas celebrations. One of the most impressive aspects The Grinch It's your makeup and prostheticsand Carrey had great reason to endure this tedious process.

Jim Carrey put up with the Grinch makeup process because of the kids who would watch

Jim Carrey had the Grinch audience in mind

Talking to Comics while promoting Sonic the Hedgehog 3where he plays Robotnik, Jim Carrey shared that he would play the Grinch again if there was a better way to bring the character to life. For Howard's film, Carrey spent two and a half hours every day in the makeup chair to get all the prosthetics and makeup needed to transform him into the Grinch. Carrey mentioned that he could barely breathe under all of the Grinch's prosthetics, and makeup artist Kazu Hiro said Vulture that it was very difficult to work with Carrey at first, as he was very uncomfortable with the process.

Carrey finally became more comfortable and promised to control his temper, but said Comics that he had something else on his mind as he went through the difficult process of putting on the Grinch's makeup: the film's audience. Carrey said he kept thinking that what he was doing was for the kids and that makes his Grinch even better. The Grinch is one of Carrey's most praised performances, especially how he managed to transform the character from bitter and chaotic to moving and channel the true tragedy of the Grinch.

Knowing that Carrey went through the Grinch makeup process for the children who would watch the film is very exciting and speaks volumes about his passion for what he does. In the end, the entire process and its many setbacks were worth it for everyone, as Carrey's performance continues to be praised and The Grinch won the Oscar for Best Makeup in 2001.

The Grinch's makeup and prosthetics still impress 24 years after the Jim Carrey film

The Grinch's most striking element is still his makeup.

While incredible effects and characters can be created through CGI and other modern technologies, the art of makeup and prosthetics remains a favorite of artists and viewers alike. The Grinch is a great example of the incredible art of makeup and prostheticsas Carrey is completely unrecognizable and he truly becomes the character. To add to the grandeur of the Grinch's makeup, it also allowed Carrey enough mobility to add his trademark physical comedy to his performance, which makes it even more impressive.

Modern techniques may make Jim Carrey a lot easier in the makeup chair (or none at all, if it's motion capture) and make the whole process of becoming the Grinch much easier for him, but looking at the film 24 years later, it's achievements in makeup and prosthetics are even more impressive as There are details that not even CGI could have achieved.

Sources: Comics, Vulture.