Top 30 Unscripted Jim Carrey Moments That Were Left in the Movie

“Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” (1994)
How are you supposed to react when someone turns around and starts using their butt as a puppet? There’s no right answer. Jim Carrey made us wonder this when his character in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” started literally talking out of his rear end. According to director Tom Shadyac, the scene came about due to Carrey’s goofy improvisation on the set of the 90s TV series “In Living Color.” Carrey brought this comedy gag to his Ace Ventura character in brilliant, humorous fashion. It starts with the pun. Then there’s the relentless questioning. And, finally, he starts wrestling with his butt in his chair. As he’s done so many times, Carrey brought his amusing silliness to the screen with his unique flair.

“Liar Liar” (1997)
Cursed to break his lying habits and only tell the truth for an entire day, Jim Carrey’s character Fletcher finds himself in a whole lot of trouble. After admitting a slew of traffic offenses to a police officer, his car gets impounded. Fletcher then gets a taxi and heads over to see his ex-wife. When he arrives at the house, he gets out and trips on the sidewalk as he runs toward her. Carrey actually tripped by accident here. This was not in the script. But given how frantic his character is in the scene, it made sense. So it remained in the movie!

“The Mask” (1994)
It’s probably the best-known line in this Jim Carrey classic. After his character Stanley puts on the magical mask and uncontrollably twirls around the room, Carrey delivers the line with a head jerk and wide smile. As if this moment could get any cooler, it turns out Carrey came up with it on his own. That’s right. Improvisational genius. His execution is notable as it establishes his green-faced alter ego. It’s also one of many scenes that make it abundantly clear Carrey was the absolutely perfect casting choice for this role.

“Batman Forever” (1995)
This Carrey line exemplifies his incredible ability to stay in character while going off script. Although it received mixed reviews, particularly in comparison to the other “Batman” films, there’s no denying that “Batman Forever” has a stacked cast. That includes Carrey as the Riddler. At one point near the climax, he holds Nicole Kidman’s Dr. Chase Meridian captive. Carrey, immersing himself in the villain’s essence, enters the room and improvises with this one-liner. The chuckle that ensues caps it off nicely. Even more than just staying in character, it’s the delivery and execution that’s impressive.

“Dumb and Dumber To” (2014)
At the beginning of the “Dumb and Dumber” sequel, we learn what Lloyd’s life has unfortunately come to 20 years later. But it’s not quite as it seems. Harry finally finds that out for himself. Outside a psychiatric ward, Carrey’s character is apparently mute. Eventually, when he finally begins to talk, he reveals the baffling truth to Harry. Most of Carrey’s lines during this scene were improvised. Who knows what the original script contained, and how many words? Nonetheless, for Carrey, this scene shows that no matter the situation and setting he’s put in, he can make the script become momentarily dispensable.

“Liar Liar” (1997)
Fletcher takes things to the extreme in an effort to delay court proceedings. According to co-star Cary Elwes, Carrey improvised a large amount of the crazy courtroom bathroom scene. Yes, he really did beat himself up, using a few different methods. He even cracked his head pretty good on the concrete floor. This shows just how far Jim Carrey is willing to go to get the most out of a scene and movie. The bathroom scene is memorable in and of itself, but knowing that Carrey came up with many of the actions on the fly makes it even more noteworthy.

“The Mask” (1994)
Carrey’s iconic green-faced character gets himself ready with his grooming routine, topping it off with a yellow feathered hat. Confident in his new mask, and his new skin you could say, he delivers this comical line while looking at himself in the mirror. According to the actor himself, this wasn’t in the script. The specific phrasing Carrey decided to use for this scene ended up working incredibly well, especially in the larger context of the movie. He goes on to prove that, with his new look and flamboyant dance moves, he’s right – no one can stop him.

“Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” (1994)
During the filming of this classic comedy, Carrey thought back to a line he said on the series “In Living Color.” Thinking it would be a fitting line for Ace Ventura, he decided to give it a whirl. He was right. The “alrighty then” line became Ventura’s signature catchphrase and one of Carrey’s most famous quotes in his acting career. It made sense to reuse it in the sequel as well. It’s amazing to think that a quote that he improvised became such an integral part of his character’s persona. Alrighty then, well done, Jim.

“Yes Man” (2008)
Keeping the cameras rolling when the actors don’t know it can be a great strategy for catching off-the-cuff moments. That’s apparently what happened in the “Can’t Buy Me Love” singing scene with “Yes Man” co-star Zooey Deschanel. Those vocals, in addition to the background and camera angles, made it a worthy inclusion in the film. That’s especially true given the chemistry with Deschanel, who went along with Carrey’s singing nicely. Carrey’s description of how this scene came about is fascinating, as he talks about the impact of being absorbed in the Beatles’ aura.

“Liar Liar” (1997)
Part of the human experience is choosing what and what not to say. Certain thoughts are better left unsaid. But Jim Carrey’s character Fletcher literally can’t lie. So he uncontrollably speaks his mind in this elevator scene. When he steps into the elevator, he sees an attractive woman, and he just can’t stop himself from verbalizing his dirty thoughts. Toward the end of the awkward interaction, Carrey improvised. This one-word ad-lib, including the ensuing noises, turned out to be rather funny and suitable to the scene and character. So, it was put in the movie.

“Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls” (1995)
Unsurprisingly, you can expect to get a lot of great improvised Jim Carrey bits from his more unrestrained characters, and there are few of his as unhinged as Ace Ventura. In the character’s second outing, he’s introduced to the African Wachati tribe, and his cultural ignorance is evident from the outset. Soon enough, his guide Greenwall explains that the tribe was untouched by disease until they met colonists, at which point Ace does about the worst thing he could do. Reportedly, Carrey came up with the action himself. Though the tribesman he sneezes on probably knew what was going to happen, judging by his perfect reaction, we like to think that he didn’t.

“Fun with Dick and Jane” (2005)
“Fun with Dick and Jane” is a remake that’s gone mostly forgotten among the Carrey community, and probably for good reason. But, if there’s evidence that Carrey can stay in the moment when a bit goes wrong, it’s this one. During the climactic heist sequence of sorts, Dick manages to get an employee to leave the building so he can use her computer to print a vital document. However, another employee walks into her office, and Dick hides by hanging from the ceiling. Upon dropping down, Carrey accidentally missed the desk and fell to the floor. Rather than break character, however, Carrey completed the scene by grabbing the printout, proving his dedication to any project he’s in.

“Dumb and Dumber” (1994)
Sometimes all you need is to be in the right place at the right time for memorable comedy to sprout up. In the first “Dumb and Dumber” movie, Harry and Lloyd pull off the road to stop by a convenience store, and on the way out, Lloyd greets a couple of guys drinking Big Gulps in the parking lot. Not only did Jim Carrey improvise the brief, one-sided exchange, but the Gulpers weren’t even paid extras. They just happened to be two bystanders in the area watching the film shoot. Probably sensing the potential for improvisational gold, director Peter Farrelly decided to put them in a shot before Carrey predictably proved him right.

“Kick-Ass 2” (2013)
While Jim Carrey ultimately came to denounce “Kick-Ass 2” over the level of extreme violence displayed, that doesn’t mean he didn’t put in a memorable performance. As Colonel Stars and Stripes, Carrey’s character leads a newfound coalition of superheroes known as Justice Forever, and just before their first mission, he gives them some sound advice. It may seem like a small moment, but the line turned out to be a recurring clip in the marketing campaign, selling Carrey’s inclusion in the film. As an added bonus, Carrey improvised another line later in the scene, taunting a criminal while using his dog to interrogate him.

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
Much like Ace Ventura and Lloyd Christmas, we’re gonna be seeing a lot of the Grinch on this list. Seeing as the Grinch spends a good deal of the movie speaking to himself – not to mention his trusty dog Max – it’s only sensible that some of the best lines came from Carrey riffing on the spot. When the Grinch tries to come up with excuses for not returning to Whoville, he lists a lot of hilarious schedule items. But arguably the best one – the “dinner with me” line – Carrey came up with on his own. Each of these lines is like a mini joke wrapped in a bigger one, exemplifying how few words Carrey needs to be funny.

“Me, Myself & Irene” (2000)
The whole premise of “Me, Myself & Irene” is a man whose second personality makes him very unpredictable. Say what you will about the inherent humor in that, but Jim Carrey’s managed to be unpredictable for his entire career, and we love him for it. One such example is when his character Charlie from this 2000 black comedy sets out on his day and says goodbye to his adoptive sons. While goodbye kisses might seem normal, Carrey reportedly ad-libbed this moment on the spot, making it even funnier. What’s more, the three actors – including a young Anthony Anderson – go through with it without breaking character. Now that’s four great improvisers for the price of one.

“The Mask” (1994)
Between Eisenhower from “Kick-Ass 2,” Max from “The Grinch” and Milo from “The Mask,” Jim Carrey definitely knows how to work with dogs. In one scene from “The Mask,” Carrey’s Stanley frantically tries to hide the money he stole with a Frisbee, only Milo has other ideas. Reportedly, Milo wasn’t supposed to initiate a game of tug of war, so Carrey’s frustrated reactions were conjured on the spot. But Milo – coincidentally also named Max in real life – clearly knew it would only add to the scene. Later, when Stanley is in jail for the aforementioned crime, he tries to get Milo to scurry up a wall and help him escape. When he initially can’t, Carrey also reportedly ad-libbed some of his exasperated reactions.

“Dumb and Dumber” (1994)
Sometimes, all you need to be an effective comedic performer is to take in your environment and respond in earnest. Clearly Jim Carrey is already keenly aware of that if this scene is any indication. After Harry and Lloyd finally make it to Aspen and find Mary, Lloyd goes to a bar thinking he has a date with her. When she obviously doesn’t show, he grills the bartender for her address and sets off to confront her, only he spots a curious newspaper article on the way out. We don’t know if that headline was framed beforehand or by the production crew, but Carrey apparently saw it and came up with the perfect comedic beat to end the scene on.

“The Cable Guy” (1996)
Chip Douglas from “The Cable Guy” is definitely one of Carrey’s most underrated roles, and the fact that he has a lisp is really just the cherry on top of the sundae in completing a memorable character. During the climactic fight scene against Matthew Broderick’s Steven, Chip gets punched at one point and realizes his lisp is gone. Only, this wasn’t in the script, as Carrey genuinely forgot to incorporate it. Instead of calling “cut,” he rolled with it, making for one of the best jokes in the movie. Honestly, it’s hard to believe that this wasn’t a fully planned moment, but such is the majesty of Jim Carrey’s superb comedic wit.

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
This one occurs almost immediately after the “dinner with me” line. While we could’ve incorporated this one into that entry, the moment is too good not to go fully in-depth with it. When the Grinch starts to come around to the idea of making an appearance in Whoville, he starts to wonder what he’s going to wear, prompting him to experiment with a tablecloth. While the script had everything on the table go flying immediately, Carrey accidentally performed the tablecloth trick perfectly. Making the joke even better, Carrey went back and had the Grinch knock over everything himself. This is absolute comedic gold, and something you could try a hundred times and not get it as right as Carrey does on the fly.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” (2020)
Jim Carrey as Doctor Robotnik was an odd casting choice to say the least, but it resulted in a fun performance that allowed the actor to revisit his over-the-top roots. The comedian was given free reign to ad-lib on set and by the end of shooting, Carrey wasn’t sure how much of the actual script made it into the movie. Carrey’s most uproarious improvisation comes in the form of a dance sequence. While analyzing one of Sonic’s quills, Robotnik cuts loose with choreography that only Carrey could come up with on the spot. It was reportedly Carrey’s idea to include the song “Where Evil Grows,” remembering it from his childhood. Carrey’s assistant Nicole also fed him a line when Agent Stone shows up with lattes.

“Me, Myself & Irene” (2000)
Though the actors playing Charlie’s sons were mostly able to cover up their surprise in the kissing scene, that wasn’t always the case when it came to Carrey and his antics. On multiple occasions he took his co-stars off-guard. In another instance, Irene and Charlie’s other personality, Hank, decide to ditch their vehicle. Ready to shove the car off a cliff, Hank tells Irene to push on the count of nine. Why not the count of ten? It doesn’t really matter since Hank counts down in barely a second. Carrey came up with this line and you can tell from the bewildered look on Renée Zellweger’s face that she wasn’t prepared for it.

“Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” (1994)
Carrey was heavily involved in the production of “Ace Ventura,” contributing rewrites to the script and injecting numerous moments off the top of his head. Infiltrating a party, Ace does everything in his power not to blend in. As if his eccentric wardrobe and personality weren’t enough to draw attention to himself already, Ace goes out of his way to pull on a cellist’s arm. This causes the musician to hit a wrong note, but Ace just keeps walking without skipping a beat. Carrey threw in this random moment without preparing anyone, least of all the cellist. Even when given the most straightforward direction, Carrey can’t resist sprinkling in something extra.

“The Cable Guy” (1996)
If we had to single out the two most horrifying characters to come out of the ‘90s, they would undoubtedly be Hannibal Lecter and Jim Carrey’s Cable Guy. Okay, maybe we’re exaggerating when it comes to the latter, but Chip Douglas does borrow a page from Hannibal the Cannibal in this scene. At a Medieval Times restaurant – seriously, why aren’t there more of those? – Chip asks Matthew Broderick’s Steven for his chicken skin. Draping his face in the skin, Chip imitates Hannibal’s gruesome disguise from “The Silence of the Lambs.” You can tell that Carrey improvised this moment based on Broderick’s reaction. As Carrey covers his face with poultry, Broderick is unable to maintain a straight face, visibly breaking on screen.

“Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls” (1995)
Once again, Carrey had the creative freedom to go wild as Ace Ventura. Fulton Greenwall is completely unprepared when Ace decides to take a shortcut. Likewise, actor Ian McNeice wasn’t expecting Carrey to suddenly burst out singing “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” Having forgotten his lines, Carrey ad-libbed with the theme from the Dick Van Dyke musical adventure. Way to make an already stressful situation even more unhinged. We’re not sure what’s more impressive: Carrey’s manic improvisation skills or the fact that McNeice didn’t break out laughing. Director Steve Oedekerk chose to keep the scene since Carrey and McNeice managed to stay in character throughout. As Carrey hits the song’s final note, however, McNeice can be spotted cracking a smile as he covers his ears.

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
Despite all the aforementioned Grinch goodness, arguably his most elaborate ad-lib took aim at the film’s director, Ron Howard. Before heading off to Whoville, the Grinch attempts to get his dog Max into character as Rudolph. He does this by channeling Howard, even donning one of the director’s signature baseball caps. What ensues is 100% Carrey, poking fun at Howard’s directing methods. Howard wasn’t offended by Carrey’s imitation of him. On the contrary, Howard found it so hysterical that he couldn’t leave it out of the picture. Of course, Howard had to cut some of Carrey’s more adult-oriented ad-libs throughout the film to keep things PG. Are we the only ones who want an R-rated director’s cut?

“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” (2004)
This dark comedy has too many improvised moments to keep track of, but Carrey’s introduction as Count Olaf is definitely a highlight. Although he acts as if the world is his stage, Olaf is ironically a horrible actor. So, when Olaf asks Klaus Baudelaire to repeat the line that he just said, it seems to be on-brand for the character. In reality, Carrey forgot his next line and decided to spin his mistake into comedic gold. A confused Klaus thus says his line again, prompting a more shocked reaction from Olaf. Between the performances and the editing, this unscripted moment plays out seamlessly. Carrey is a method actor and even when drawing a blank, he can stay true to his role.

“The Truman Show” (1998)
Believe it or not, it was Carrey’s performance as Ace Ventura that convinced director Peter Weir to cast him as Truman Burbank, one of his most dramatic roles. Weir also came to appreciate Carrey’s improv talents, which can be seen in the finished film. When Truman talks to himself – and the audience – in the mirror, Carrey added an extra bit of whimsy to the moment. As his character pretends to be an outer space explorer, Carrey took a piece of soap and drew a helmet on the mirror. Apparently there was another take where Carrey sketched a dress, although the astronaut attire best illustrates Truman’s desire to escape from Seahaven Island. Kind of ironic that Carrey would later play a man on the moon.

“The Mask” (1994)
When Stanley Ipkiss first transforms into the cartoony Mask, he has some fun at the expense of a local street gang by setting up a balloon animal booth. After making one gangster a giraffe, the Mask reaches into his pocket and accidentally pulls out a soggy, used balloon. Oh wait... we just realized that was not a balloon! There goes our childhood innocence. The moment is only made more hilarious when you consider that Carrey apparently came up with this bit. Talk about being a master of improv and prop comedy.

“Dumb and Dumber” (1994)
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Carrey was entirely responsible for some of the funniest lines in this cult comedy classic. Though the aforementioned entries are genius in their own right, Carrey’s most notable contribution comes during an already obnoxious car ride. Stuck between Harry and Lloyd, hired goon Mental is on the verge of cracking. So naturally, Lloyd tries to ease tensions by making the most annoying sound in the world. This was all Carrey’s doing and it’s easy to spot the look of uncertainty on Jeff Daniels’ face leading up to it. Daniels also joins in making the sound, but not before cracking up.

Let us know in the comments what surprised you most about this list!