Jim Carrey unveils a new layer of genius in I Needed Color

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Jim Carrey blasted into the stratosphere of fame by dousing himself in ketchup and talking out his butt in comedies like DUMB AND DUMBER and ACE VENTURA, but anyone who’s seen movies like THE TRUMAN SHOW, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND knows there is so much more to the gifted human being. But one facet of his life you probably weren’t so familiar with is his painting, which has become a massive part of his life over the last six years. A new six-minute documentary posted to Vimeo takes you into the actor and comedian’s creative process, exposing a new layer to the man’s incredible genius. By the end you will never look at the man the same way again…and you will all of a sudden find yourself wanting to mortgage your house for an "original Jim Carrey."

In the video, Carrey talks about how he used to sketch all the time as a kid but didn't pick up painting until 2011 as a means of dealing with a personal crisis. Carrey once took Jerry Seinfeld to his art studio during an episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, but getting to see the man at work is a whole new experience and one that's completely enrapturing and disarming. Though he is still working in movies and TV (his new show, I'M DYING UP HERE, is on Showtime now), painting seems to be a new calling for him, as he said in the video that “I like the independence of it. I love the freedom of it. No one else tells you what you can or can’t do, most of the time. And there’s an immediacy to it.”

A lot of musicians and actors take up some other art form as a means of creative expression, but Carrey's talents make this more than just some hobby. He has a real eye for detail, color, design and an ability to inject a personality and dimensionality into his pieces. They're terrific, and some are nothing short of breathtaking. The man is a true artist, and this short video proves there's no limit to how far the creative imagination can take someone who is willing to follow it.