- Title: Life lessons from Jim Carrey in Venice
- Date: 5th September 2017
- Summary: VENICE, ITALY (SEPTEMBER 5, 2017) (REUTERS) FANS WAITING OUTSIDE CARREY GETTING INTO CAR CAR PULLING AWAY
- Embargoed: 19th September 2017 16:06
- Keywords: Jim Carrey Jim and Andy Venice film festival Ace Ventura Andy Kaufman behind the scenes documentary
- Location: VENICE, ITALY AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- City: VENICE, ITALY AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Film
- Reuters ID: LVA0046XBLGZX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PART MUTE. CONTAINS PROFANITY IN SHOT 7.
Actor Jim Carrey was at the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday (September 5) to present "Jim & Andy: the Great Beyond - the story of Jim Carrey & Andy Kaufman with a very special, contractually obligated mention of Tony Clifton", a documentary about the making of "Man on the Moon" in 1999.
Director Chris Smith uses hundreds of hours of behind-the-scenes footage to show how Carrey immersed himself in the roles of Andy Kaufman and Tony Clifton, the character of an obnoxious lounge singer created by the U.S. comedian.
The documentary, which is being screened in the out-of-competition section of the festival, contains footage interspersed with interviews with present-day Carrey, reflecting on what portraying Kaufman meant for him.
"He (Smith) made it about identity and ultimately that's the real lesson in the whole experience", Carrey told journalists, adding that playing Kaufman allowed him to put aside his own issues, which he then had to face when the movie was finished.
"We spend our lives running around looking for anchors," the 55-year-old Canadian actor said, referring to how people cling to nationalities and other labels to define themselves.
Carrey said his portrayal of private detective "Ace Ventura" was his own bid to "destroy Hollywood, not be a part of it ... to make fun of the leading man".
"Most of us are wearing (a mask) and when somebody's authentic, it becomes very difficult for everyone else to wear a mask," he said at the Venice festival, which ends on Sept. 9. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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