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Jim Carrey Nearly Quit The Grinch Over Torturous Makeup As Producer Brought In SEAL Team Six Founder

A Vulture 25th‑anniversary oral history details panic attacks, medical work rules plus coaching that kept him on the film.

Overview

  • Carrey told Vulture he was ready to quit after day one in the chair and offered to return his $20 million paycheck, with interest, according to producer Brian Grazer.
  • The prosthetics initially took about eight hours to apply and were later reduced to roughly two to three hours after adjustments and routine changes.
  • Carrey described painful full-eye contacts, an itchy yak-hair suit, altered nasal prosthetics that forced mouth breathing, and frequent panic attacks on set.
  • Grazer arranged counseling from Richard Marcinko, the founding officer of SEAL Team Six, whose coping tactics included pattern changes, controlled self-strikes, eating, and heavy smoking with a holder to avoid igniting the suit.
  • Makeup legend Rick Baker resisted studio pressure to "just paint him green," insisting on full prosthetics to preserve the Grinch as a fantasy character.