Jim CarreyActor / Comedian
Born: 17 January 1962
Birthplace: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
Best known as: The star of Ace Ventura, Pet Detective
Jim Carrey is a rubber-faced comedian in the Jerry Lewis mold. His work on the sketch comedy show In Living Color (1990-94) made him a cult comedy figure; his starring role in the surprise hit Ace Ventura, Pet Detective (1994) made him a star. Carrey's crowd-pleasing style mixed juvenile slapstick with manic improvisation; by the late 1990's he became one of Hollywood's most popular (and best-paid) stars. Later films included Dumb and Dumber (1994), The Cable Guy (1996, with Matthew Broderick), and The Truman Show (1998, with Ed Harris). He played comedian Andy Kaufman in the 1999 movie Man In the Moon, and in 2000 wore green makeup for a film based on the Dr. Seuss classic How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Although known primarily for his hit comedies such as Bruce Almighty (2003, co-starring Morgan Freeman), Carrey has also turned in dramatic performances. His other films include The Majestic (2001), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, with Kate Winslet) and A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004, based on the books by Lemony Snicket).
Extra credit: Carrey was married to actress Lauren Holly from 1996 to 1997, had a much-publicized 2000 romance with Renee Zellweger and -- according to the gossip sheets -- began dating Jenny McCarthy in 2005.