What better to break the curse than to once again prove everyone wrong. After a string of mega-successful comedies, Carrey picked another film with a slightly different tone. There was no doubt that Carrey could do funny, he could do drama, and he could certainly do strange, so who better than him to portray the legendary comedian Andy Kaufman.
The legendary ’70s comic was even famously dubbed “the anti-comic” and made a name for himself as one of the wackiest avant-garde comedians in history. More concerned with confusing his audience than actually making them laugh, Kaufman attracted quite a lot of controversy for his antics. It was a perfect match, and Carrey, who was, of course, a major fan.
The Truman Show
The film told the story of a man named Truman Burbank, who unknowingly spends his entire life in a never-ending reality show. It was a natural step away from the usual comedic roles that he was consistently playing since the '80s to mid-'90s. The film starred top-notch dramatic actors, including Laura Linney and Ed Harris.
Throughout the film, we watch our hero, Truman Burbank, slowly discover the manufactured world around him and plot his escape. The performance undoubtedly became one of his most acclaimed roles yet, ultimately putting the actor in a new direction.
A New Decade
The actor proved to have it all: major money-making status and a natural touch for the drama. By the 2000s, the "The Mask" actor nabbed more roles, continuing to diversify in his parts. In 2007, Carrey appeared in both the big-budget comedy "Bruce Almighty" as well as "The Number 23," an intense thriller directed by Joe Schumacher.
While his dramatic capabilities opened up doors, many die-hard comedy fans felt that he was best-suited to the more goofy and adorable roles, which he is most known for. It was also where the money was, alas even with all his acting prowess, Carrey was subject to the cast-type curse.
Becoming Andy
If you're an actor portraying your favorite comedian, there is bound to be some excitement. Unfortunately, the direction of this excitement did not exactly go into a remarkably positive direction. As the story goes, Carry found himself a little too immersed in the life of the late famous anti-comedian.
During the filming period, Carrey stayed in character and even would even having trouble coming out of the Tony Clifton character; this was an alter ego that Kaufman himself created during his career. He would incorporate the cigar smoking and foul-mouthed character into his standup performances. Needless to say, all the method acting got a little too complex for Jim Carrey to juggle, who found himself almost stuck in the mind of the late actor.
Complaints on Set
The incidents on set even became the subject of a documentary called "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond." Many of these complaints can be seen in the footage. In fact, Paul Giamatti, in particular, found him very difficult. In an interview with E!, Giamatti revealed that acting alongside him was unusual, to say the least.
He said, “It was an extraordinary experience. It was one of the weirdest experiences I’ve had making a movie, to be honest with you. It was just wacky. Jim was wacky during it.” This was not all that Paul Giamatti had to say about Jim and his method.