Net Worth of Jim Carrey 2024
Jim Carrey is an award-winning comedian and actor best known for his energetic, physical comedy and impressions. Through a series of blockbuster film successes in the 1990s followed by more nuanced, acclaimed dramatic roles, Carrey has amassed an impressive net worth.
Early Life and Career
James Eugene Carrey was born on January 17, 1962, in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. He was the youngest of four children born to Percy and Kathleen Carrey. His father worked as an accountant while his mother was a homemaker.
The family struggled financially and at one point lived out of a van. Carrey used humor as an escape during this difficult time. He began doing professional stand-up comedy as a teenager, eventually moving to Los Angeles in 1979 when he was just 17 years old.
After several years pursuing comedy, Carrey eventually broke through by starring on the comedy show “In Living Color” in 1990. This exposure helped him land his first major film role in the 1994 slapstick comedy “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.” The movie was a surprise hit, grossing over $100 million worldwide. Carrey’s outrageous physical comedy and impressions brought him great acclaim.
Rise to Stardom in the 1990s
Riding high off his breakout role in “Ace Ventura,” Carrey solidified his newfound A-list status with hits like “The Mask,” “Dumb and Dumber,” and “Batman Forever” from 1994-1995. The new movie star reportedly earned $20 million for 1996’s “The Cable Guy,” cementing his position as one of Hollywood’s highest-paid comedic actors.
Some key highlights from this period include:
- 1994 – Stars in 3 major hits: Ace Ventura ($107M worldwide gross), The Mask ($351M worldwide), and Dumb and Dumber ($247M worldwide)
- 1995 – Plays Riddler in Batman Forever, which grosses $336M globally
- 1996 – Paid $20M for The Cable Guy, setting a record comedy salary at the time
Dramatic Acting and Career Slowdown
After a series of comedic blockbusters in the mid 1990s, Carrey began pivoting to more serious dramatic roles in the late 1990s and 2000s. His first major critically-acclaimed dramatic performance was in 1998’s “The Truman Show,” which earned Carrey a Golden Globe award. Other subsequent awards recognition came from films like “Man on the Moon” in 1999 and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” in 2004.
Though much less prolific during this period, some of Carrey’s acting highlights include:
- 1998 – Stars in critical darling The Truman Show ($264M worldwide gross)
- 1999 – Portrays comedian Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon, winning Best Actor at the Golden Globes
- 2004 – Earns strong praise for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ($72M worldwide)
Carrey’s output and box office success slowed considerably in the 2000s compared the incredible heights of the 1990s. He still earned hefty paychecks for films like “Bruce Almighty” in 2003 and “Yes Man” in 2008. But away from the big screen, Carrey was dealing with significant personal issues and depression that sidetracked his career.
Resurgence and Recent Work
After a quiet several years, Carrey re-emerged in the early 2010s with roles in films like “I Love You Phillip Morris” and the family film “Mr. Popper’s Penguins.” His acting output increased considerably over the next decade across major studio comedies and smaller-scale dramas.
Some projects from Carrey’s resurgence include:
- 2011 – Stars in family comedy Mr. Popper’s Penguins ($198M worldwide)
- 2014 – Begins acclaimed performance as children’s TV personality Jeff Piccirilli in Showtime series Kidding
- 2020 – Plays villain Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog film ($319M global gross)
Now 60 years old, Carrey continues working regularly in films while also pursuing other creative outlets like painting. Upcoming projects include reprising his role for the 2023 “Sonic the Hedgehog” sequel.
Jim Carrey Net Worth Milestones
- 1994 – Breakout success in hits like Ace Ventura and The Mask earn Carrey an initial fortune
- 1996 – $20 million Cable Guy salary cements his status as one of world’s highest-paid actors
- 2000 – Personal issues coincide with career slowdown. Net worth growth levels off.
- 2003 – Reportedly paid $25 million upfront for Bruce Almighty
- 2018 – Career resurgence leads to net worth estimate of $150 million
- 2022 – Current net worth estimated between $180 – $200 million
Carrey’s significant career earnings were boosted by the fact that he routinely earned tens of millions per movie during his peak years in the 1990s. Though he made less money over 2000-2010, huge checks returned for films like “Bruce Almighty” and then again later in his resurgence. This long-term star power is why the actor’s current net worth sits between an estimated $180-$200 million by most reports.
What Are Jim Carrey’s Biggest Acting Paydays?
Here is an overview of some of Jim Carrey’s top salaries over his long film career, which contributed greatly to his current massive net worth:
The Cable Guy (1996) – $20 million
After hits like Ace Ventura and Dumb & Dumber, Carrey set a new record upfront salary for a comic actor.
The Grinch (2000) – $20 million plus merchandising
Cemented as A-list children’s film star with huge salary for starring role as the Grinch.
Bruce Almighty (2003) – $25 million
Returned to comedy in this hit after slowing career and earned one of biggest paydays.
Yes Man (2008) – $35 million
Though not his highest grossing movie, Carrey continued earning massive backend paychecks.
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020): $20 million
Proves his star power endures, receiving $20 million for villain role in video game adaptation.
As these figures indicate, Jim Carrey’s star power has enabled him to command some of the biggest per-movie salaries ever seen for a comedic film actor over the past 30 years. These paydays contributed enormously to Carrey accruing his current nine-figure net worth.
Jim Carrey Net Worth Compared to Other Stars
Jim Carrey: $180 million
Eddie Murphy: $200 million
Kevin Hart: $200 million
Jerry Seinfeld: $950 million
Carrey’s estimated net worth lands right around fellow comedy superstars like Eddie Murphy and Kevin Hart. While he has amassed incredible career earnings from acting, his net worth falls well below all-time great Jerry Seinfeld – who has earned additional massive amounts from TV show royalties and other ventures.
Nonetheless, Carrey remains near the top among the wealthiest actors in comedy history based on the incredible heights he reached at his peak.
How Does Jim Carrey Spend His Money?
Though his lavish spending days appear to be behind him, Jim Carrey has spent portions of his vast multi-hundred million dollar net worth in the past on luxuries like:
- Real estate – At his peak, Carrey owned impressive homes in Los Angeles, New York, and Hawaii worth tens of millions combined.
- Private jet – Leased a top-of-the-line Gulfstream jet at the height of his fame for fast travel and privacy.
- Exotic vehicles – Reportedly spent millions on a fleet of high-end vehicles like Mercedes, Lamborghini, and Rolls Royce cars.
- Over-the-top gifts & events – Known for sporadic bursts of extreme generosity – covering costs for lavish vacations for friends or donated millions to charities.
However, Carrey has also gone through periods of selling off his substantial real estate holdings – likely contributing key funds to his current massive net worth.
And the actor’s spending habits seem to have shifted over the past decade towards causes important to him versus outlandish luxury displays of wealth.
Does Jim Carrey Have Ownership in Any Companies?
Jim Carrey is not known to have prominent ownership stakes in any major external companies. His net worth stems almost entirely from earnings as an actor, stand-up comedian, and producer.
However, Carrey does own his own production company called JC 23 Entertainment. The company served as a production or distribution partner for several of Carrey’s films, including “Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond” in 2017.
Carrey likely leverages JC 23 Entertainment for additional backend revenue off certain film projects – adding to his overall income streams. But there is little public data on the value of the production company itself contributing significantly to his $200 million net worth.
How Much Does Jim Carrey Make From Residuals?
As a world-renowned movie star and comedian with decades of prominent on-screen roles, Jim Carrey earns millions from entertainment industry residuals over time. Here are some of Carrey’s key projects that continue generating residual income based on ongoing royalties:
- Ace Ventura franchise – Over $350 million total box office gross across two hit comedies in 1994 and 1995. Carrey likely earned 7-9% backend gross participation.
- Dumb and Dumber franchise – The original 1994 and 2014 sequel grossed over $500M combined, bringing steady residual cash.
- The Mask – As star of this 1994 megahit grossing over $350M globally, Carrey continues earning residuals from television rights and more.
- The Truman Show – Acclaimed 1998 drama remains a ubiquitous basic cable and streaming re-watch.
- Bruce Almighty – $485M worldwide gross and staple comedy ensures strong residual income.
With these and other hits frequently re-aired or generating ancillary revenues, they provide Carrey an impressive passive income stream on top of his continued major acting paydays into his later career.
The actor’s backend residuals have provided key compounding cash over time to get his net worth into a very rare air of mega-wealthy Hollywood elite.
Conclusion
In summary, Jim Carrey has built an enormously successful career as one of Hollywood’s biggest comedic stars which has netted him an estimated current net worth between $180-$200 million.
He reached incredible heights of popularity in the mid 1990s, becoming one of the highest paid actors with record-breaking salaries. Though he endured a slowdown period both personally and professionally in the 2000s, Carrey re-emerged and continues working regularly and commanding strong paychecks.
Key contributions to his almost unfathomable wealth include:
- Massive upfront salary heights of $20-35 million at his peak
- Backend gross participation on 90s hits driving impressive residuals
- Owning his own production company JC 23 Entertainment
- Continued strong acting paydays later into his career
Considering his enduring star power and the compounding nature of backend residuals from earlier hits, Jim Carrey has amassed a mountain of lasting wealth few actors reach.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jim Carrey’s Net Worth
How Much Is Jim Carrey Worth?
Most industry estimates place Jim Carrey’s current total net worth between $180-$200 million. At his peak earnings period in the 1990s, Carrey frequently earned $20 million per movie upfront – enabling him to accrue significant wealth over time.
What Was Jim Carrey’s Biggest Movie?
Jim Carrey’s biggest financial success at the box office remains the 1994 comedy “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” which grossed $107 million globally. TheMask from the same year netted $351 million. In terms of highest acting fees, Carrey was reportedly paid $20-$35 million for movies like The Cable Guy, The Grinch, Bruce Almighty and Yes Man.
What Was Jim Carrey’s Lowest Net Worth?
In the early 1990s before landing his major breakout roles, Jim Carrey was still an up-and-coming stand-up comic and supporting film actor likely worth in the hundreds of thousands. After 1994’s Ace Ventura and immediate rise to the A-list, his net worth began rapidly multiplying into the tens and hundreds of millions over the coming years at his peak.
Does Jim Carrey Own Property?
Yes, at various times Carrey has owned impressive real estate including lavish homes in Los Angeles, New York State, and Hawaii. Over the years he has periodically bought and sold multi-million dollar properties. He may still own select luxury residences, but his real estate holdings are likely not at the height of his fame when combined worth upwards of $30-$50 million.
Is Jim Carrey Retiring?
No public statements exist indicating Carrey has plans for retirement. He continues taking on steady acting roles. In 2022 he starred as a villain in “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” at age 60 and has other film and television projects in development. This indicates he plans to continue acting regularly in Hollywood for the foreseeable future.