James Eugene Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian known for his energetic slapstick performances. After spending the 1980s honing his comedy act and portraying mostly supporting roles in films, Carrey gained wide recognition in 1990 when he was cast in the American sketch comedy television series In Living Color. He broke out as a film star after starring in a string of box office hits with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber, which he followed up with Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Batman Forever. The success of these five films led to Carrey being the first actor to receive a $20 million salary for performing in films, beginning with The Cable Guy.
He continued to have success as a leading actor in comedies such as Liar Liar, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Bruce Almighty, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and Yes Man. From the 2010s, Carrey appeared in fewer films, with notable works including Dumb and Dumber To and Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3, in which he played the villain Dr. Robotnik.
Although largely typecast as a comedic actor, Carrey has had success in dramatic roles.