Jim Carrey is the king of physical comedy and slapstick humor. However, the man behind the rubber face has a surprisingly deep and complex history. For instance, he experienced severe poverty and homelessness as a child. Furthermore, he is an incredibly talented painter who creates massive works of art. Consequently, his journey to stardom inspires millions of fans. Therefore, get ready to explore the life of this Canadian icon. You will see him differently.
Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey once wrote himself a check for ten million dollars. specifically, he dated it for Thanksgiving 1995 to visualize his future success. He achieved this goal.
His family lived in a yellow Volkswagen van for a time. Because his father lost his job, they faced homelessness during his teenage years.
He dropped out of high school to help his family. In fact, he worked eight-hour shifts as a janitor in a factory to pay the bills.
The yellow suit in The Mask has a special origin. Actually, his mother made him a similar polyester suit for his early stand-up comedy acts.
Tupac Shakur was his prison pen pal. Surprisingly, Jim Carrey wrote funny letters to the rapper to cheer him up while he was incarcerated.
He became the first actor to earn 20 million dollars for a single film. The Cable Guy broke salary records in Hollywood in 1996.
Jim Carrey is a prolific painter and sculptor. Consequently, he spends days in his studio creating colorful art to process his emotions.
He practiced intense method acting for Man on the Moon. He refused to break character as Andy Kaufman, which frustrated the crew greatly.
Saturday Night Live rejected his audition twice. Ironically, he later hosted the show multiple times after he became a superstar.
He wrote a children’s book called How Roland Rolls. The story explores serious philosophical themes about interconnection and existence.
Canada issued a postage stamp with his face on it. Thus, the country honored him as one of its most successful exports.
He swore off medication for his depression. Instead, he uses spirituality and vitamins to manage his mental health today.
The Grinch makeup was torture to wear. Therefore, a CIA expert taught him techniques to endure the pain of the prosthetics.
He holds dual citizenship. Although he became a U.S. citizen in 2004, he proudly kept his Canadian status.
Finally, he retired from acting recently. He stated that he has “done enough” and wants to live a quiet life.
The Terminator franchise stands as a towering achievement in modern science fiction cinema. Naturally, fans love the massive explosions, but the creation of this dark universe hides many surprising secrets. Indeed, a terrifying fever dream originally inspired the iconic cyborg. Furthermore, the creators faced numerous budget struggles before finding massive global success.
Terminator
Director James Cameron invented the Terminator character during a severe fever in Rome. Specifically, he dreamed of a metal skeleton emerging from a fire. Subsequently, he immediately sketched the terrifying image on hotel stationery.
The studio originally wanted O.J. Simpson to play the ruthless cyborg. However, Cameron thought he looked much too nice to play a killer. Consequently, nobody believed the famous athlete could portray a cold machine.
Arnold Schwarzenegger only speaks 58 words in the entire first Terminator film. Therefore, his sheer physical presence carried the terror of the mechanical villain. This quiet approach made the character incredibly menacing.
The famous liquid metal effects required cutting-edge computer graphics. Thus, the sequel cost more money to produce than any previous movie in history. Furthermore, the digital work took months to finish.
Surprisingly, the production crew used painted plastic pipes instead of real steel. Therefore, they saved thousands of dollars on the incredibly tight studio budget. The fake metal looked perfectly authentic on screen.
Arnold famously wanted to change his iconic dialogue during filming. Specifically, he struggled to pronounce the word contraction with his Austrian accent. Yet, the director refused the change and created cinematic history.
The first Terminator movie cost only 6.4 million dollars (about 6 million euros). Nevertheless, it earned over 78 million dollars (74 million euros) globally. Consequently, this massive return launched a global entertainment franchise.
Dogs can easily detect the infiltrator cyborgs in the Terminator universe. Therefore, human resistance fighters use canines to guard their underground bunker entrances. Indeed, the animals bark wildly near any hidden machines.
The sound department recorded a heavy piece of cast iron to create the theme. Furthermore, they struck the metal repeatedly with a standard frying pan. Ultimately, this bizarre technique produced the haunting rhythm.
Linda Hamilton suffered permanent hearing damage during a loud elevator shootout scene. Unfortunately, she forgot to put her earplugs back in before the explosive take. She fired a heavy weapon and damaged her ears.
Hamilton trained with former Israeli military commandos to prepare for the sequel. Thus, she transformed her body into a convincing and hardened resistance fighter. Furthermore, she learned how to handle heavy weapons safely.
A robotic puppet weighed over 45 kilograms (100 pounds) during filming. Therefore, multiple puppeteers had to control the heavy mechanical skeleton together. They operated the massive rig behind the camera.
The famous motorcycle chase used a massive truck cab that weighed several tons. Surprisingly, the stunt driver safely jumped the heavy vehicle into a concrete canal. Consequently, the crash remains a marvel of practical stunt work.
Stan Winston created the terrifying endoskeleton using real human anatomy as a reference. Thus, the metal bones perfectly matched the physical proportions of the lead actor. Furthermore, this careful design allowed the machine to fit perfectly.
The original Terminator movie script featured a cyborg that could eat normal human food. However, the director eventually removed this strange detail to maintain a scary tone. Ultimately, a machine eating simply ruined the dark atmosphere.
Robert De Niro stands as one of the most influential actors in cinema history. While fans know him for his iconic roles in mob movies, his path to stardom involved extreme choices. For instance, he transformed his body multiple times to inhabit his characters. Furthermore, he built a global business empire that stretches far beyond the movie screen. Prepare to meet the man who mastered the art of disappearance.
Robert de Niro
His childhood nickname was “Bobby Milk.” He grew up in the Little Italy neighborhood of New York City with very pale skin. Consequently, the local kids gave him this nickname because he looked as white as a glass of milk.
He played the Cowardly Lion in his first stage role. At just ten years old, he appeared in a school production of The Wizard of Oz. This early experience bit him with the acting bug. Therefore, he decided to drop out of high school at sixteen to pursue the craft full-time.
Robert de Niro and Marlon Brando are linked by a unique Oscar record. Both actors won Academy Awards for playing the exact same character, Vito Corleone. Brando won for the original Godfather, while De Niro won for the sequel. Interestingly, only Joaquin Phoenix and Heath Ledger have since repeated this feat with the Joker.
He paid a dentist $5,000 to ruin his teeth. To play the terrifying Max Cady in Cape Fear, he wanted to look like a hardened criminal. Thus, he hired a professional to grind down his teeth and stain them. After the movie finished, he paid $20,000 to have them fixed.
He worked as a real taxi driver for a month. Before he filmed Taxi Driver, he obtained a hack license and drove 12-hour shifts on the streets of New York. In fact, some passengers actually recognized him during his shifts, but he stayed in character and kept driving.
He holds dual citizenship in the United States and Italy. Although he was born in Manhattan, the Italian government granted him honorary citizenship in 2004. This gesture honored his heritage and his massive contribution to world culture. However, some groups protested the honor because of his roles as Italian-American criminals.
He gained 60 pounds for a single movie. To play the older version of boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull, he went on a four-month overeating through Italy and France. He ate so much pasta and ice cream that director Martin Scorsese eventually grew concerned for his health.
He co-founded the global Nobu empire. In the late 1980s, he became obsessed with the food at Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s restaurant. Eventually, he convinced the chef to partner with him. Today, they own dozens of luxury hotels and restaurants worldwide.
He is a cancer survivor. Doctors diagnosed him with prostate cancer in 2003 during a routine checkup. Because they caught it early, he made a full recovery. Thus, he remains an advocate for regular screenings and men’s health awareness.
Robert de Niro founded the Tribeca Film Festival. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, he wanted to help revitalize the Lower Manhattan area. Consequently, he launched the festival in 2002 to bring life and business back to his neighborhood.
He used real Midwestern accents to prepare for a role. For Taxi Driver, he visited an army base in Northern Italy to tape-record soldiers. He wanted Travis Bickle to sound like a specific type of outsider who had recently returned from war.
He and Meryl Streep are frequent collaborators. While he often works with Joe Pesci, Streep is a recurring female co-star. Specifically, they appeared in three major films together: The Deer Hunter, Falling in Love, and Marvin’s Room.
He turned down the role of Jesus. Martin Scorsese originally wanted him to play the lead in The Last Temptation of Christ. However, De Niro declined the offer. Ultimately, the role went to Willem Dafoe.
Robert de Niro holds a record for the most weight gained for a role. At the time of Raging Bull, his 60-pound gain set a Hollywood record. While other actors have since surpassed this number, his transformation remains a famous example of dedication.
Finally, he remains a master of the “silent” interview. In real life, De Niro is notoriously shy and gives very brief answers to journalists. He believes that his job is to act and that his private life should remain private. Thus, he lets his performances speak for him.
