Jim Carrey Loses Himself on the Set of ‘Man on the Moon’
October 20, 2023
If you’re binge-watching Netflix and curious about titles described as “hilarious,” “very dark” and “sobering,” then check out the documentary that follows Jim Carrey during the making of the 1999 film Man on the Moon.
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond tells the story of Carrey’s complete and unmitigated immersion into the character of Andy Kaufman during the shooting of the Andy Kaufman biopic, Man on the Moon. Long story short, this is your brain on method acting!
The documentary, directed by Chris Smith of American Movie fame and produced by Being John Malkovich director Spike Jonze, is a pastiche of behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, reflections and movie clips. It might seem a bit confusing, but under Smith’s steady yet chimerical direction, the film is surprisingly cogent.
However, what’s most intriguing is at the center of this drama: the suggestion that Jim Carrey may have lost his sense of self and his very identity while committing to his role in Man on the Moon.
For anyone who’s seen some of Carrey’s recent interviews and noticed his retreat from the business that appeared to be his lifeblood for so long, the premise is not at all far-fetched.
In a 2017 interview on the YouTube channel Steve Milne News, Carrey said, “There is no me, no self. Jim Carrey is gone–actually never existed–and I know that now.”
According to the Man on the Moon DVD commentary, Jim Carrey never showed up for work; rather, he showed up as either Andy Kaufman or Andy’s tiresome alter ego, Tony Clifton.
This level of commitment is in just about every one of his roles, but judging from the histrionics and mind-bending psychodramas in Jim & Andy, things seemed to have gone a bit too far with this particular project.
Carrey has been sitting on the behind-the-scenes footage for years and has always wanted people to see it.
Reflecting on his portrayal of Kaufman, he says, “It was definitely an important moment in the process where I found myself subjugating Jim Carrey for Andy Kaufman and Tony Clifton. And then at the end of it, looking for Jim Carrey again and having trouble finding him. And at a certain point, I realized, ‘Hey, wait a second. If it’s so easy to lose Jim Carrey, who the hell is Jim Carrey?’ And there was this Spielbergian kind of rack focus at that point where, like Roy Scheider on a beach, I was kind of watching from another place.”
Jim describes Jim and Andy as a “contemporary concept.” He likens his struggle with identity to people who suffer from depression. “People go like, ‘Oh, Jim’s been depressed.’ Well, yeah, I was depressed when I was trying to be the Wizard of Oz instead of being the sweaty guy behind the curtain. But now I know that Oz is a character. And I think everybody deals with that.”
For anyone who embarks upon the actor’s journey, this is both intriguing and troubling. Every actor’s goal is to “lose themselves” in any given character. But what if that means really losing yourself and becoming detached from your authentic self? If you have the good fortune of getting so tuned in to a character it’s hard to tell reality from fiction, how do you tune out of that character?
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Jim Carrey’s Speech: ‘You Can Fail at What You Don’t Want, So You Might as Well Take a Chance on Doing What You Love’
January 6, 2022
If you are an actor whose parents much prefer you find a “real” job instead of pursuing acting; or if you find yourself second guessing the decision to follow your passion, wondering if it’s wiser to find a more conservative profession, then you might be interested in hearing Jim Carrey’s Commencement Address at the 2014 Maharishi University of Management. This video clip highlights portions of Carrey’s speech, where he warns the consciousness-seeking graduates that, “Your need for acceptance can make you invisible.” He therefore encourages them to “Risk being seen in all of your glory.”
Speaking from his personal life experiences, he says, “So many of us choose our path out of fear disguised as practicality. What we really want seems impossibly out of reach and ridiculous to expect, so we never dare to ask the universe for it. I’m saying that I am the proof that you can ask the universe for it. Please. And if it doesn’t happen for you right away, it’s only because the universe is so busy fulfilling my order.”
He briefly tells a story about his father who had natural comedic talent, but who didn’t believe that being a comedian was a career option. Having four children, he thus chose the more conservative career path as an accountant. But a 12-year-old Jim learned an important lesson when his father lost that “safe” job, and consequently everything seemed to fall apart for the family. They, in fact, lived out of a van for some time, and the family members pulled together as they persevered through the tough circumstances. By the time Jim was 15, he started working as a janitor to help the family survive, and he never completed high school. “I learned many great lessons from my father–not the least of which is that you can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”
For Jim, that meant following his dreams of being a comedian despite his family’s lack of financial stability. His dad, adept with his own sense of humor, helped Jim create a stage act which gradually led to Rodney Dangerfield taking notice of the budding star, and asking Jim to open his tour performances.
“As far as I can tell it’s just about letting the universe know what you want and working toward it while letting go of how it comes to pass,” Jim tells the graduates. “You are ready and able to do beautiful things in this world. And after you walk through those doors today, you will only ever have two choices: Love or fear. Choose love, and don’t ever let fear turn you against your playful heart.”
To hear Carrey’s full, entertaining 26-minute speech, click here.
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