Anyone familiar with Hollywood probably knows who Jim Carrey is. His hilarious movies are adored all over the world, as well as his charismatic personality. You might recognize him best from “The Mask” and “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” but he has so much more to offer.
Some of his other notable films include “The Truman Show,” “Liar Liar,” “Dark Crimes,” “I Love You Phillip Morris,” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” The latter is a massive example of how many comedic actors can perform no matter what genre they’re offered.
Of course, Carrey still loves comedy and more youthful movies such as “Kick-Ass 2” and “Dumb and Dumber To.” Aside from his significant roles, Carrey has also been involved with some of the most well-known female celebrities in the business.
He dated stars such as Renée Zellweger, Jenny McCarthy, January Jones, Linda Ronstadt, and more. However, Carrey has only been married twice. His first wife was Melissa Womer, and his second wife was Lauren Holly.
He and Womer had a daughter, Jane, during their time together. She was a contestant on “American Idol” in 2012. His last known girlfriend was Ginger Gonzaga, and the pair confirmed their relationship in 2019. However, news of their separation broke out in October 2022. It appears he’s not seeing anyone right now.
Carrey’s Tough Childhood and His First Home
His fabulous self and his incredible fame at a relatively young age disguise the fact that Carrey didn’t have the best childhood. Sometimes, people who had to grow up in the most challenging times want to make everyone else smile.
Most people have no idea that the comedian was homeless at some point. His family had to live in their car. Now, the actor has amassed a net worth of over $150 million, which is why it’s so hard to imagine his tough roots and how he overcame those struggles.
The Canadian native is not the only North American who has had to live in their car. It’s a sad reality for many people, but it’s hard to imagine how anyone could rise from that to become one of the most celebrated people in the world.
Does Jim Carrey live in a Toronto laneway? No, not as far as we know. But we know LOTS about Toronto’s laneways: https://t.co/lQNqTo9Uh4 pic.twitter.com/1b8DtXVcl8
— Toronto TODAY (@Toronto_TODAY5) April 7, 2020
Things weren’t always like that, though. His father, Percy, had a job as an accountant, and his family was considered “lower middle class.” However, Percy lost his career, and things spiraled from there. At 15, Carrey started to work as a janitor with his brother to help support their family.
His family owned a Volkswagen van, and they all had to sleep there once his parents lost their house. They had to move the van through trailer parks and campgrounds. At one point, a family member let them use their yard to set up a tent.
Aside from janitorial work, the actor and his older brother were security guards at a tire factory, where his father also found a job. However, the pay was not nearly enough to get their family out of that situation.
Before their lives spiraled, Jim was a top student, but the long shifts affected his grades and self-esteem. He was known already for his outgoing personality and bravery. Sadly, the actor had to drop out of high school at 16 to continue working.
Meanwhile, his mother had addiction problems at the time because of her own upbringing, and there wasn’t much she could do for her family. Carrey said:
“And that’s not intentional abandonment — she was always there for me, she was always there in the house — but if you’re high on painkillers, that’s abandonment.”
