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New Oral History Reveals How Jim Carrey Endured the Grinch’s Punishing Makeup

A 25th‑anniversary account surfaces new first‑person details about the extreme prosthetics behind the performance.

Overview

  • Carrey says he nearly quit on day one after an eight‑hour makeup session left him panicked and willing to return his $20 million fee.
  • Producers brought in Richard Marcinko, a trainer known for teaching torture‑survival techniques, to coach Carrey through the ordeal.
  • Carrey insisted on full‑eye green contacts and extensive prosthetics despite an offer to handle the eye color digitally, resulting in severe pain and mouth‑only breathing.
  • Oscar winner Rick Baker resisted Universal’s push to simply paint Carrey green, leaking a test to Ain’t It Cool News that helped secure the full Grinch design.
  • The 2000 film grossed about $346 million worldwide and led to new chatter about a possible return, with Howard and Carrey suggesting any reprise would likely use motion capture or digital fixes.