It's been forever since Jim Carrey became a millionaire, so it's often hard for fans to recall what his life was like before he made it big. While he hasn't always made the absolute best choices when it comes to the projects he picks up, the comedy genius is worth an impressive $150 million.
But what fans didn't realize is that Jim came by that cash the hard way: by hitting the grind, working his way up, and continuing to try even in the face of failure.
Jim Carrey Came From A Poor Family
The truth about Jim Carrey's childhood is tough to stomach. In interviews, Jim has previously said that both of his parents had their own personal demons to contend with, so Jim and his siblings didn't have a lot of support at home.
Jim recalled that his mother had depression and had substance issues (painkillers, for one), while his father always struggled to keep a job and put food on the table. The thing is, Carrey's difficulties at a young age led him to realize he had to work hard and pursue his own dreams.
Jim Carrey's First Job Was As A Janitor
Because of his father's struggles to keep a job, including one loss that left the family essentially homeless, Jim knew he had to step up if he wanted to go places in life. So when his father picked up a job as an accountant, Jim and his siblings essentially became janitors at the company.
The family was able to live in a home across the street from the business, so their work was in exchange for rent. Jim would work overnight at the factory, with his family, but the gig gave him the opportunity to do something unique: hang out with his dad and practice his jokes.
Because Jim already knew from a young age that he wanted to become a comedian, so he set his sights on performing standup. Of course, it didn't all go easily for him from the start.
Jim Carrey Had A Bumpy Start In Comedy
When fans found out that Carrey's early start in comedy had a few bumps in the road, they felt somewhat redeemed. With all the stories of comedians hitting the stage and immediately being "discovered," it can be disheartening to not get the audience laughing on their first try, fans admitted.
As one recapped, Jim "totally failed the first time he tried doing stand up," with the comedy club owner Jim debuted at attributing his failure to the fact that Jim was "square." The audience literally booed him, but Jim didn't seem ready to admit defeat.
Three years later, Jim took to the stage again, earned rave reviews, and kicked off a career that would last decades. It wasn't quite that simple, though. Because Jim Carrey first took to the stage when he was 15, and he never finished high school.
Carrey Left School For His Own Reasons
While some fans interpreted that because Jim was working as a janitor overnight while in school, that he ditched his education out of necessity. But based on the history of Jim's career, it seems he chose to leave school and hit the comedy circuit.
The thing is, it doesn't seem as if school had a negative impact on Jim; one of his school teachers recalled struggling to control her class with Jim's antics going on. So, to settle them down, she would give Jim 15 minutes at the end of the day to do a 'routine.'
The teacher later admitted she had no inkling of what Jim would later become, and that "If I provided him with his first place to do a performance, it only started as a tool for me to control him and the other kids."
It wasn't just his teachers that help fans develop a well-rounded understanding of who Jim was and is. His sister's insight also helps define Jim's outlook on life: his sister Rita, who is apparently still close with her brother, noted that in their family, there was one thing they never said: "poor me."
The siblings always had each other, which helped, but they knew that despite their circumstances, there was no time to sit around and pity themselves. Instead, action was the only option.
Admittedly, it worked out famously for Jim, because although his career has been on a bit of a downward trend in recent years, he's still sitting on millions of dollars and can take on just about any project he wants.