Once Homeless and Working as a Janitor at 15, He Became a Popular Hollywood Star

His teenage years were spent moving from campgrounds to his sister’s lawn, even working nights as a janitor to help his family get by.

Yet, amid the hardships, he discovered an escape — the stage, where his humor would lead him to unexpected success.

At age 12, his father lost his job, and with it, the stability they had counted on disappeared. Forced into a nomadic lifestyle, they moved from place to place, seeking shelter wherever they could find it.

The Hollywood actor hitch-hiking in Toronto, Canada, on December 4, 1981 | Source: Getty Images

By 15, he was working nights to help make ends meet. Though life was tough, he would later recall moments of unexpected happiness from those years. Unbeknownst to him, these experiences were quietly setting him on a path to a very different future.

Jim Carrey approached his role in “Ace Ventura” with one goal: to disrupt Hollywood’s leading man stereotype. Even though his “In Living Color” castmates laughed at the idea, with David Alan Grier poking fun at him on set, he pushed forward.