It’s hard to believe that 2000’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas has been around for more than 20 years.
The iconic holiday film is an adaptation of Dr Seuss’ classic tale about a grumpy green grinch who despises Christmas and wants to spoil it for the Whos of Whoville whose lives revolve around the holiday. The film was number one in the United States for four weeks and grossed $345 million globally.
The legendary character was brought to life by Jim Carrey. At the time the film was made, Carrey was an established comedic master and had come a long way from his career beginnings in the 1980s.
He reportedly earned $20 million for the role and won over a new generation of fans. So it’s hard to imagine anyone else portraying the Grinch.
But there were others being considered for the role, including another comedic genius with an extensive collection of comedies under his belt. Read on to find out who.
Jim Carrey’s History Of Eccentric Roles
A legend of comedy, Jim Carrey has a history of starring in eccentric roles that require him to dress up in heavy costuming.
They include Stanley Ipkiss in The Mask, the Riddler in Batman Forever, Count Olaf in A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Dr. Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog. He also came close to starring in other cult classics of the ‘90s.
So the actor, who has a clear talent for physical comedy, was a natural choice for the role of the Grinch in the 2000 live-action version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Doctor Seuss.
Ron Howard’s Version Of ‘The Grinch’
In the 2000 adaptation of the story, which was directed by Ron Howard, the Grinch decides to rob the town of Whoville and strip them of their festive cheer because he despises the townspeople and their favorite holiday, Christmas.
Howard’s plot explores the Grinch’s past and how he came to be the way he is.
Most viewers agree that Jim Carrey makes a perfect Grinch thanks to his quick wit and hilarious impressions. However, the process of turning him into the Grinch wasn’t easy on Carrey or the makeup artists involved.
Jim Carrey’s Makeup Process For Playing The Grinch
To become the Grinch every day on set, Jim Carrey had to sit in the makeup chair for hours.
One of the most troublesome parts of his costume was his irritating contact lenses, which had the annoying habit of attracting the fake snow that fell on set. According to Indie Wire, this led to the actor becoming easily irritated on set.
The film's makeup artist, Kazuhiro Tsuji, was so exhausted by the process that he ended up taking a hiatus from the project! Jim Carrey himself called Kazuhiro and asked him to return to the set, which he did.
Despite the hard work it took to transform Carrey into the Grinch, he ended up being a success as the furry green character. But there was another actor who almost played the part instead of him.
The Actor Who Nearly Played The Grinch Instead Of Jim Carrey
According to the Mirror, Eddie Murphy was being seriously considered to play the Grinch.
Murphy, like Carrey, is known for transforming into hilarious, over-the-top characters, and probably would have done the role justice too.
Fans speculate that if Murphy had been brought in, the Grinch would be perhaps goofier and less dark than how he turned out.
The Project Eddie Murphy Was Working On At The Time
It’s not clear whether Eddie Murphy turned down the role or whether the filmmakers decided to go in a different direction with it.
But in any case, it would have been difficult for Murphy to commit to the film because he was filming his iconic movie The Nutty Professor at the same time. Interestingly, Murphy also had to dress up in heavy costume for multiple roles that he starred in within The Nutty Professor.
The Other Actor Who Could Have Played The Grinch
There were also some other contenders for the role of the Grinch who could have won the role instead of Carrey.
One of them was Jack Nicholson, who has previously played The Joker in Batman. Due to Nicholson’s acting style, fans have guessed that his version of the Grinch may have been darker and more villainous. Along with Jack Nicholson, Tom Hanks and Tim Curry were also considered for the role.
Although any of these actors would have been brilliant in their own way, it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing the Grinch because Jim Carrey did such a fantastic job.
Of course, in the 2018 version of The Grinch, which was an animated adaptation, the grumpy green character was voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch. Who knows which actor may star in the next iteration, though; fans can't seem to get enough!
