Jim Carrey Net Worth (Money & Salary)

How much is Jim Carrey worth and what are his earnings?

A notable figure in the entertainment industry, Jim Carrey, a Canadian-American actor, comedian, and producer, boasts a net worth of $180 million. For nearly ten years, he reigned as one of the most recognized actors worldwide. His comedic expertise ensured that every project he undertook yielded significant profits for the studios fortunate enough to cast him. Throughout his two-decade career, he frequently ranked among the highest-paid actors, commanding a base salary exceeding $20 million per film. Notably, he became the pioneer actor to earn $20 million for a single film and has accumulated upwards of $300 million from salaries and bonuses throughout his career.

Before rising to fame, Jim Carrey was already well-regarded as a stand-up comedian in Canada, attracting the attention of Rodney Dangerfield in the late 1970s. Following his tour opening for Dangerfield, he relocated to Las Vegas, and later, California. During this time, he developed a loyal fan base thanks to his amazing impressions and quirky humor. The early 1980s saw him transition into the television and film industry. After a stint in various low-budget films and starring in the short-lived series “The Duck Factory,” he began landing more prominent roles in films like “Earth Girls Are Easy,” “Once Bitten,” and “Peggy Sue Got Married.”

The spring of 1990 marked the beginning of his appearance in “In Living Color,” a sketch comedy show that elevated his fame to new heights. By 1994, he utilized this newfound popularity to take on the lead role in the blockbuster “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.” For the following decade, he solidified his dominance in the comedy film genre with numerous successful projects, such as “The Mask,” “Dumb and Dumber,” “Liar Liar,” and “Bruce Almighty,” alongside several films that skillfully intertwined comedy and drama, including “The Truman Show,” “Man on the Moon,” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”

The Pinnacle of Earning Potential

Throughout the late 1990s and into the 2000s, Jim maintained his position as one of the highest-earning entertainers globally. His groundbreaking achievement of becoming the first actor to earn $20 million for a single film occurred with the 1996 release of “The Cable Guy.” Over his career, he has generated hundreds of millions in earnings from film salaries and backend bonuses.

The Formative Years

Born in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, on January 17, 1962, Jim Carrey grew up in a household where his mother was a homemaker and his father worked as an accountant. When Jim turned 12, the family faced hardships as his father lost his job, leading them to homelessness. They lived out of a van, with the family working overnight as janitors and security personnel at a nearby factory to survive. After attending school, Jim often took on a full eight-hour job at the factory.

From a young age, Jim exhibited a natural flair for comedy and impersonation, a talent he shared with his father. He began his professional journey at the age of 15, performing stand-up at comedy clubs in Toronto. Early on, his father would drive him to performances, and Jim ultimately chose to leave high school to pursue his aspirations. This path eventually led him to Los Angeles, where he caught the attention of Rodney Dangerfield while performing at The Comedy Store, earning his spot as an opening act.

A Dream Turned Reality

According to various sources, Jim Carrey achieved immense financial success, making his dreams a reality. This was primarily due to his remarkable talent and the numerous blockbuster films in which he starred. As a result, he not only received substantial salaries but also reaped significant backend bonuses, further solidifying his status as a Hollywood heavyweight.

According to legend, there was a moment in 1985 when a very broke and despondent Jim Carrey drove his dilapidated Toyota Camry into the Hollywood Hills. While gazing over all of Los Angeles, Jim wrote himself a check amounting to $10 million “for acting services rendered,” dating it ten years into the future, and kept it in his wallet. Spoiler alert: his aspiration materialized within that decade. When Jim’s father passed away in 1994, he placed the check inside his father’s casket.

Success

In 1990, Carrey experienced his first brush with stardom on the Wayans brothers’ sketch comedy show “In Living Color.” It was here that he captivated audiences with memorable characters like the masochistic and clumsy Fire Marshal Bill. Carrey continued on In Living Color until its conclusion in 1995, but just prior to its cancellation, his significant film debut “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” was released in theaters. This movie was a colossal success that immediately established him as a household name. That same year, he also starred in “The Mask” and “Dumb and Dumber,” both of which were significant box-office successes. He set a record for salaries by earning $20 million for his next movie, “The Cable Guy.”

Other remarkable comedic films featuring Carrey include “Liar, Liar,” “Bruce Almighty,” “Me, Myself, and Irene,” and “Yes Man.” He has also made appearances in various dramas and dramedies, such as “The Truman Show,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “The Majestic,” “Man on the Moon,” and the thriller “The Number 23.” More recently, Jim Carrey took on the role of Dr. Robotnik in “Sonic the Hedgehog” (2020) and its sequel “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” (2022). The latter provided Carrey with the best career opening, earning $72 million during its opening weekend at the US box office.

Salary Highlights

In Living Color marked the beginning of Jim’s major earnings, with a payment of $25,000 for each episode of the sketch series, totaling approximately $3.2 million for the program’s 127 episodes. This figure equates to roughly $6 million in today’s terms.

For the first Ace Ventura film released in 1994, Jim received $350,000. Following the film’s impressive $100 million box office earnings against a $15 million production budget, he was swiftly paid $15 million to star in its sequel, released in 1996. In the same year, Jim made $540,000 for “The Mask,” which grossed $350 million, and he earned $7 million for his role in “Dumb & Dumber.”

Notably, Jim was the first actor to surpass the coveted $20 million salary milestone, achieving this with “The Cable Guy” in 1996. His salary represented just under half of the film’s total budget. For context, earning $20 million in the mid-1990s is equivalent to approximately $34 million per film today.

Subsequently, Jim secured a $20 million base salary for the following films:

• The Cable Guy
• Batman Forever
• Liar Liar
• Me, Myself & Irene
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• Yes Man

In addition to his salary for “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Jim received a share of merchandise sales. For “Yes Man,” he earned 36.2% of profits, bringing his total earnings for that film to $35 million, ranking it among the 30 largest paychecks in film history.

Between 1994 and 2008 alone, Jim amassed $200 million in earnings from salaries.

Over the next decade, he earned at least an additional $100 million, bringing his total film salary earnings to likely over $300 million.

Personal Life

Twice married, Jim Carrey’s first marriage was to Melissa Womer from 1987 until 1995, during which they welcomed a daughter, Jane Erin Carrey, who participated in American Idol in 2012. In 1996, he tied the knot with his Dumb & Dumber co-star Lauren Holly, though their marriage lasted less than a year. From 2005 to 2010, he was in a relationship with model/actress Jenny McCarthy. Following this, he dated makeup artist Cathriona White from 2012 until her tragic passing due to a drug overdose in 2015. In 2019, he briefly dated Ginger Gonzaga for under a year.

Awards

Throughout his career, Jim has garnered over 40 significant awards, including two Golden Globe Awards for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—one for The Truman Show in 1999 and another for Man on the Moon in 2000. He was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2006 for Best Spoken Word Album for Children. Additionally, he received the Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award in 2013 for his children’s story titled “How Roland Rolls.”

Brentwood Estate

Jim Carrey possesses several properties across the United States, with his main residence being an expansive compound located in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood. He purchased the initial property in 1994 for $3.8 million—equivalent to roughly $6.6 million today—and acquired the adjacent one-acre lot in 2000 for $1.7 million. Presently, the estate boasts a large guest house, a swimming pool, and a tennis court. The two-acre compound, secured by around 300 feet of fencing and hedges, provides 13,000 square feet of living space. In February 2023, Jim put his Brentwood estate on the market for $28.9 million.

Other Properties:

In 2002, he bought a beachfront mansion in Malibu for $9.75 million, listing it for $18 million in 2011 and eventually selling it in 2013 for $13.4 million. Additionally, Jim owns an apartment in New York City.