Jim Carrey is a well-known talented actor and comedian. He’s won numerous awards for his work and many people look up to him. But did Jim Carrey have to go to college to become so successful?
As it turns out, Jim Carrey did not make it college, but only went to high school that he dropped out of in 1978 because of a poor financial situation his family experienced at the time. Shortly after leaving the school, he commenced his career in stand-up comedy and acting and was able to afford to live off it.
Read more below about Jim’s early life and find out why he did not go to college.
Carrie’s Childhood and Youth
Even though Jim Carrey is one of the funniest, heartwarming comedians in history, he had a good share of obstacles during the early years of his life.
Jim was born on January 17, 1962, in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada in a family of four children, where he was the youngest child. During his childhood, the family experienced financial struggles and, at one point, was even forced to live in a car for some time.
In 1978, when Carrey’s mother became ill and his father lost his job, he was forced to leave school to take care of her and the family. He worked as a janitor at a factory on 8-hour shifts for two years before pursuing a career in comedy.
From a very early age, Jim showed impeccable acting qualities and talent. So shortly after, he made his first appearance as a stand-up comedian in Toronto, Canada.
In an interview with Closer Weekly magazine, Jim revealed that his father, Percy Carrey was his biggest inspiration to become a comedian, and who was also his biggest supporter.
“He was an amazing, incredible character. I’m always drawing on my father to play characters. He was the kind of guy who if you talked to him for five minutes, you felt like you knew him for 50 years.”, Jim said.
By 1979, the comedian was able to make a living from his performances and support his family financially.
How Did Jim Carrey Become Famous?
In 1981, Jim Carrey decided to move to Hollywood to pursue his dream of becoming a famous comedian. There, he met Rodney Dangerfield, a famous comic, who gave him a spot at the Comedy Store, located in West Hollywood.
During those times, he met two other significant people in his future life: Daymon Wayans, with whom he shot his first film, Earth Girls Are Easy, and Melissa Womer, his future wife.
Now, the actor earns up to $25 million for one movie and is one of the most successful artists ever known. Many of his movies, such as The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, and The Truman Show have become classics of cinematography.
The Truman Show earned Jim a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in 1999.
Did Carrie Ever Graduate From College?
It is clear that Jim Carrey did not graduate from school or college. But what happened after? Did he make it to college after all?
Even though Jim Carrey did not go to or graduate from college, it did not stop him from having a successful career as a comedian and an actor. As Jim Carrey quickly gained success in his career, there was no need for him to finish his education anymore.
Nevertheless, in 2014, Jim gave a commencement speech at Maharishi University of Management located in Fairfield, Iowa. During the ceremony, Jim was granted an honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts Honoris Causa.
The degree was presented to Jim Carrey in recognition of his lifetime achievements as a world-renowned comedian and actor, artist, author, and philanthropist.
So, even though Jim did not ever go to college or university, he still received a degree. This also means that technically he did graduate from college after all.