JIM CARREY in 1994 | Making of The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, and Ace Ventura

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In today's episode, we'll be looking back on the making of all three Jim Carrey movies from 1994 ("Ace Ventura: Pet Detective", "The Mask", and "Dumb and Dumber").

Before 1994, Jim Carrey was a talented but relatively unknown Canadian comic, best recognized for his rubber-faced antics on the Fox sketch series In Living Color. Though he'd appeared in a few movies throughout the '80s and early '90s — including Once Bitten and Earth Girls Are Easy — none had brought him anywhere close to stardom. That all changed in one extraordinary year.

In 1994, Carrey starred in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber — three wildly different comedies that each became massive box office hits and launched him into a new stratosphere of fame almost overnight. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, directed by Tom Shadyac, introduced audiences to Carrey’s fearless physical comedy and over-the-top energy. Though the film received mixed reviews, it was a surprise hit and instantly made Carrey a household name. He followed that up with The Mask, a visually inventive comic book adaptation directed by Chuck Russell, which blended groundbreaking visual effects with Carrey’s elastic face and manic charm. The film also launched the career of Cameron Diaz, who made her debut alongside Carrey. And just when it seemed like he couldn’t possibly top himself, Carrey closed out the year with Dumb and Dumber, a road trip comedy directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly, where he played opposite Jeff Daniels in what became one of the most beloved comedies of the decade.

Each film not only highlighted a different side of Carrey — from chaotic goofball to romantic lead to dumb-but-lovable buddy — but also helped reshape mainstream comedy. His mix of slapstick, cartoon-like energy, and surprising emotional nuance made him unlike anything Hollywood had seen before. This video looks back at how 1994 became the year Jim Carrey took over Hollywood, the people behind the camera who helped make it happen, and how three unexpected hits in one year changed the trajectory of his career.

One of the most stunning years of any actor in cinema history was 1994 for Jim Carrey. Here's the story of how that year in film made Carrey a global superstar.