Jim Carrey has spent his career delivering iconic performances that will stand the test of time. Carrey has starred in classic films such as Dumb and Dumber and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. His knack for comedy and making audiences laugh made him into the star he is today.
However, Carrey struggled quite a bit in his personal life. He has been open about his spiritual journey and religious beliefs. Carrey even shared what he learned to a room full of inmates where he opened up about what he has learned.
Carrey has also shared that he feels ready to retire from acting and wants to enjoy a simpler life.
Jim Carrey Once Said That He Didn't Limit Himself To Just One Religion
Carrey has always been open about his own spiritual journey. The actor once shared that he didn't even believe his existence was real when speaking at the Toronto International Film Festival.
"I don’t exist, so … They are all characters that I played, including Jim Carrey, including Joel Barish, including any of those things," he explained. "They are all characters."
Carrey also added that this philosophy helped him with his own internal struggles.
"So when I tried to go back and play Jim Carrey, I got depressed, and now I don’t try to do that anymore," he said.
In an interview with CBS News, Carrey said that he didn't follow any particular religion or view one as more important than another.
"I’m a Buddhist, I’m a Muslim, I’m a Christian. I’m whatever you want me to be," Carrey said. "It all comes down to the same thing. … You are either in a loving place, or you are in an unloving place. If you are with me right now, you cannot be unhappy. It’s not possible, just try."
Jim Carrey Talks About Jesus To A Group Of Inmates During A Speech
In 2017, Carrey spoke during a visit to Homeboy Industries. The organization, based in Los Angeles, provides support to formerly incarcerated people and gang members. During his speech, Carrey told the audience that they chose to "walk through the gate of forgiveness to grace."
The organization is run by Father Gregory Boyle. Boyle invited Carrey and referred to him as a "friend."
"I believe that this room is filled with God," Carrey said. "You are heroes to me, and I admire you. When you stepped through these doors, you decided to be a part of this family. You made a decision to transcend and to leave darkness behind, and it takes a champion to make that decision."
He added, "I've had some challenges in the last couple of years myself."
Carrey once admitted to Prozac use during a 2014 interview with 60 Minutes.
"I was on Prozac for a long time and I'm not sure, it may have helped me out of a jam for a little bit but people stay on it forever. I had to get off at a certain point because I realized everything's just ok."
Carrey was also accused of supplying the drugs girlfriend Cathriona White used to end her own life. He has denied these claims.
"I believe that suffering leads to salvation," Carrey told the group.
"In fact, it's the only way that we have to, somehow, accept, not deny, but feel our suffering and feel our losses. And then, we make one of two decisions We either decide to go through the gate of resentment, which leads to vengeance, which leads to self-harm, which leads to harm to others. Or, we go through the gate of forgiveness, which leads to grace."
Carrey went on to talk about Jesus and the message of forgiveness.
"He suffered terribly and He was broken by it, to the point of doubt and a feeling of absolutely abandonment, which all of you have felt," Carrey continued.
"Then there was a decision to be made. And the decision was to look upon the people who were causing that suffering with compassion and with forgiveness, and that's what opens the gates of heaven for all of us. I wish that for all of you. I wish that for myself."
Jim Carrey Recently Said That He's "Done Enough" And Ready To Retire
In 2022, Carrey was promoting Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on Access Hollywood. During the interview, he was asked about comments made by Dolly Parton. Parton said she wanted Carrey to play her former music partner Porter Wagoner in a biopic about her life.
"Well, that’s a lovely thing," Carrey said, surprised, "but I’m retiring." When asked if he was serious, Carrey responded, "I’m being fairly serious, yeah." Carrey did say that he could change his mind "if the angels bring some sort of script that’s written in gold ink that says to me that it’s going to be really important for people to see, I might continue down the road but I’m taking a break."
Currently, Carrey devotes most of his time to painting and making art. He said that he's really enjoying his simpler life.
"I really like my quiet life and I really like putting paint on canvas and I really love my spiritual life and I feel like, and this is something you might never hear another celebrity say as long as time exists, I have enough. I’ve done enough. I am enough."