Jim Carreyis one of the biggest and most beloved actors of his generation, and back in the 1990s, he had an impressive streak of back-to-back hits that’s even better three decades later. Jim Carrey is best known for his style of comedy, which he has used to bring to life some of the most memorable characters in pop culture, such as The Riddler, but he has also shown his range in drama movies, such asEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Carrey’s acting career began in 1983 with a direct-to-video comedy, but he rose to fame in the 1990s.

The 1990s was a very busy decade for Carrey, starring mostly in comedies but also in a superhero movie (Batman Forever) and the psychological comedy-dramaThe Truman Show, which earned him the praise of critics. In recent years, Carrey has become part of the world of Sonic the Hedgehog thanks to the characters of Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik and Professor Gerald Robotnik. Carrey’s acting career is quite impressive, but back in 1994, he had a pretty amazing year with three back-to-back hits that ended up defining his career in comedy.

Collage of Harry (Jeff Daniels) and Lloyd (Jim Carrey) from Dumb and Dumber

Jim Carrey Starred In Ace Ventura, The Mask, And Dumb & Dumber In 1994

1994 Was A Defining Year In Jim Carrey’s Career

Throughout the 1980s, Jim Carrey starred in different but small comedy movies, such asAll in Good Taste,Once Bitten,Peggy Sue Got Married, andEarth Girls Are Easy. Carrey kicked off the 1990s with an uncredited appearance as Death in the comedyHigh Strungand a voice role in the 1992 short filmItsy Bitsy Spider, but 1994 was his big break. First, Carrey starred in (and co-wrote)Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, directed by Tom Shadyac.Ace Venturafollows the title animal detective, who is tasked with finding the dolphin mascot of the Miami Dolphins team, which was abducted.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detectivewas a critical failure but a box office hit, and it was the beginning of a franchise with sequels and TV shows. Ace Ventura ended up becoming part of pop culture and is one of Carrey’s most well-known characters. AfterAce Ventura: Pet Detectivecame the superhero comedyThe Mask, based on the comic book series of the same name by Mike Richardson. Directed by Chuck Russell,The Maskfollows Stanley Ipkiss, an ordinary man who transforms into a green-faced troublemaker when he wears a magical wooden mask.

Jim Carrey looking and looking in the camera in The Truman Show

The Maskwas a critical and commercial successand it spawned a sequel, which is regarded as one of the worst movies ever made (and didn’t count on the talent of Carrey). Closing a successful year for Carrey wasDumb and Dumber, a buddy comedy directed by Peter Farrelly.Dumb and Dumberfollows Lloyd Christmas (Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels), two very dumb but well-meaning friends who set out on a road trip to return a briefcase full of money they believed was left by mistake, but it was actually a ransom.

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Dumb and Dumber is definitely not the smartest comedy movie in the world, but it has some great quotes that fans are still repeating today.

Dumb and Dumberwasn’t the critics’ favorite, but just likeAce VenturaandThe Mask, it was a box office success.Ace Ventura: Pet Detectivelaunched Carrey’s career,The Maskcemented his reputation, andDumb and Dumbershowed a bigger range of his comedic skills, which were also key to his reputation as one of the biggest comedy actors of the decade.

Custom image of Jim Carrey in Liar Liar, smiling and hiding behind a desk.

It Only Took One Year For Jim Carrey To Become An A-List Hollywood Star

Jim Carrey Rose To Fame Pretty Fast

As mentioned above, Jim Carrey’s acting career began a decade before his big break, in movies that aren’t exactly the most memorable, but he still had a very fast and big rise to fame.In just one year, Carrey became a widely known name in the film industry, a respected comedy actor, and an A-lister thanks to the back-to-back success ofAce Ventura: Pet Detective,The Mask, andDumb and Dumber. This amazing streak opened many doors for Carrey, thanks to which he had a very successful decade.

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Jim Carrey was one of the biggest movie stars of the 1990s and he still remains a critical part of Hollywood; with the net worth to prove it.

His first movie afterDumb and DumberwasBatman Forever, followed by the sequelAce Ventura: When Nature Calls. In 1996, he starred in the comedyThe Cable Guyand the following year inLiar Liar, and to start 1998, he made a change withThe Truman Show. Carrey closed the decade with the comedy dramasSimon BirchandMan on the Moon, and continued exploring comedy and other genres in the 2000s.

Ace (Jim Carrey) with various animals hanging off him in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey’s Successful Year Is A Rare Occurrence

Jim Carrey’s successful year in 1994 isn’t something that often happens in the film industry. It’s more common for actors to have their big break one year and carry on with other hits in subsequent years, not in the same. Surely, there are many actors who star in more than one movie in one year, but it’s rare when all those movies are a hit, whether critical or commercial.Jim Carrey’s big year in 1994 is a lot more impressive when looking back on it now, and proves how talented and charismatic he is.

Headshot Of Jim Carrey In The North America Rights