Even the biggest Hollywood stars have their own favorite heroes, and for Jim Carrey, it’s none other than the late Jimmy Stewart. Fans recognize Carrey for his comedy films, but he also delved into other projects that won him various accolades. Still, he doesn’t think he can level with the Vertigo star.
Carrey worked as a stand-up comedian when he was only 15. He rose to fame in 1981 when he started making it a profession and going on tour performances. In 1990, he finally landed a role in an American sketch comedy television that propelled him to stardom.
Jim Carrey Gushes About Screen Idol Jimmy Stewart
Batman Forever actor Jim Carrey told Film Threat that one of his television idols was Jimmy Stewart. He was one of the biggest celebrities during the mid-20th century, starring in classic films such as It’s a Wonderful Life, Rear Window, and The Philadelphia Story. Carrey revealed:
“Ever since I was a kid, I have loved Jimmy Stewart movies. I loved Jimmy Stewart movies from the word go. Movies are just this amazing place to escape, and you know if anybody needs escape it’s people hanging out up in the cold.”
Stewart starred in the NBC comedy The Jimmy Stewart Show, and although they both worked in the same genre, Carrey does not think he can compare himself with the legend:
“I don’t try to compare myself to other people. Jimmy Stewart is an unreachable star to me. He was his thing, and no one can ever be that again. I’m lucky to be in the same town and working in the same business that he was.”
Carrey added rather jokingly that he tries his best to give an outstanding performance and hopes that people would like it:
“I don’t try to concentrate on that. I just try to make it as real and as interesting as possible when I’m doing it. Then when they say cut, I sit around and beg for compliments.”
In his interview with Larry King via CNN, Carrey spoke about Stewart with utmost admiration:
“Love Jimmy Stewart. Jimmy Stewart was my favorite, for sure, acting-wise. I think he’s brilliant. Jimmy Stewart, for me, had a divine spark.”
Stewart was a role model figure for the Liar Liar star, and this everlasting appreciation for the actor gave him confidence to acknowledge his own abilities.
What Happened On Jim Carrey’s First Meeting With His Childhood Hero?
There is a saying that warns people about meeting their heroes. In the same interview with Larry King, Jim Carrey described his first encounter with his idol, Jimmy Stewart. It was not what he expected after all:
“I spoke to him, and it was one of the biggest disappointments of my life. What a jerk! No. No, it was a disappointment, though. He’s a fantastic guy, but… Well, I went up to him, and I had put too much into it. You know, it was like – for me, it was like John the Baptist meeting Jesus.”
Carrey just expressed himself like a fountain bursting with emotions, and Stewart seemingly did not take it very well:
“I said something inane like, ‘You are my greatest aspiration.’ I had become him. And he was embarrassed, and his face turned red, and he walked away. And I walked out of the church that day, and I thought – it hit me. I went, ‘Thou shalt not honor false gods before me.’ I walked out, and I went, I did it. I was in church idolizing someone.”
Now, that’s an interesting experience, but also a hard lesson for Jim Carrey. The actor admits he still loves Stewart, but the whole encounter also rearranged his perspective on life.
Sources: Film Threat, CNN
