Jim Carrey’s Dumb and Dumber is back with a sequel after 20 years. The actor speaks about changes in the characters while keeping the humour intact
The only other time you revisited a character was in the Ace Ventura sequel, which was done immediately after the first one. Did you have a preference for your approach to catching up with someone 20 years laterIJ How did you find the idea of revisiting a character that you’ve played in the pastIJ
I like to wait until the executives pass on before I do a sequel. I prefer that. I like to bury them and then do the sequel. It was a fan-driven thing. They couldn’t leave us alone. And it’s cooler to wait. A sequel, when you wait 20 years, becomes a ‘chicquel’. My work ethic comes from being absolutely desperate to make something interesting happen in every scene. I have a lot of partners in crime with me on this one, particularly Pete and Bob, who are just a different ilk of people. It was very much like a time-travel thing the first day when I put on the old costume. We tried some new things in the wardrobe fittings but I kept saying, ‘Nope, nope, nope.’ Ultimately, I just wore the same thing. It felt right.
How has the chemistry with Jeff Daniels changed in 20 yearsIJ
The first one was a discovery. You’re meeting a new friend. You’re kind of shy about it. And then now, it was like family. We were coming off the bus together, and we saw the playback and it was like, “Ah! They’re back, man.” It gave us a good feeling. It was like meeting old friends.
What was it like, re-uniting with ‘The Farrelly brothers’IJ
Pete and Bob do fantastic work as a team, and somehow when the three of us got together, jamming on the script, I had forgotten how much fun it was. We all said, ‘Why aren’t we doing this all the timeIJ This is fantastic.’ They’re the oddest leaders you’d ever want to follow, but they’re so welcoming and cool to everyone.
The Farrelly Brothers said that you called them after seeing this movie on television saying that you wanted to do the sequel. What was the driving factor for youIJ
Well, the movie pops up every once and a while. That’s usually how I watch my movies. It’s like ten minutes at a time when they pop up in different places. It’s been a lot of years of listening to fans and stuff like that. I did call him at some point and say, “First of all, we’ve got to work together.” As you get older, you value these things. It’s like I want to be with the gang again. I want to hang out with Jeff Daniels. I want to hang out with the Farrellys. It’s just really about that. It’s about “let’s go have some fun.”
They also mentioned that you really prepare for six months beforehand.
Yeah. I wouldn’t say six months. I start thinking dumb stuff maybe a week or so before. I don’t even know. It’s just that lloyd is a part of me now. It’s kind of strange. I whacked the tooth out and you have to really get into the politics of the character. You can get away with anything as long as there’s real love between the characters.
How much over the past 20 years have you actually thought about these guys, and do they hold a special place in your lives as they do for fansIJ
Well, for me, every character that I do is something special to me. Every time you score and you have a great character relationship in a movie, it becomes like your baby.It is a special thing. And the fans made it special because they were constantly reminding me. I don’t remember yesterday. I pretty much live in the moment and I’m right here. Anyway, they are special.
Do you wish some of the things from the first film had returned in the sequelIJ
I made sure the Mutt Cutts van was there at least, that there was a visit. But I thought it was funny to just go for the Mutt Cutts van and destroy it.
Your daughter Jane was also part of the movie. Anything you can tell us about herIJ
Yeah, her music is in it. She’s composed the music. She’s got two beautiful songs in the movie.
Where do you see these characters in another 20 yearsIJ
lloyd will have lost an eye in a bar brawl. “HarryIJ!” They don’t have an arc. There’s no arc for these two. They’re going to fall into their graves stupid.