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The organiser of the César awards has sought to debunk reports that a lookalike stood in for Jim Carrey at last week’s ceremony.
In a statement sent to Variety on Monday, Gregory Caulier, general delegate of the Césars, said the controversy was a “non-issue” and testified to Carrey’s investment in the event, which had been in the planning since last summer.
“From the outset, he was extremely touched by the Academy’s invitation,” wrote Caulier. “Eight months of ongoing, constructive discussions. He worked on his speech in French for months, asking me about the exact pronunciation of certain words.”
So proud was Carrey of the honour that as well as bringing along his partner, daughter, grandson and publicist, a further 12 “close friends and family members” accompanied him. “His old friend Michel Gondry, who has made a film and two series with him, was there, and they were delighted to see each other again.”
Caulier added: “For me, it’s a non-issue. I just remember his generosity, his kindness, his benevolence, his elegance.”
In an emotional speech in halting French on 26 February, Carrey paid tribute to many of the giants of French cinema, as well as tracing his own lineage back to the country, saying that his great, great, great, great, great, great-grandfather, Marc-François Carré was born in St Malo some 300 years earlier, before emigrating to Canada.
Despite this personal touch, many commentators were struck by apparent changes to Carrey’s appearance, in particular around the eyes, cheeks and nose, leading to a suspicion in some quarters the man on stage was an impersonator.
Drag artist Alexis Stone posted photos on Instagram of assorted prosthetics suggesting he had been the person on stage, rather than the slapstick star of films such as The Mask, The Truman Show and Liar Liar.
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Posting on Instagram, actor Megan Fox said: “i can’t handle any more stress right now i need to know if this is real.”
Once one of Hollywood’s most-loved and bankable comedy actors, Carrey also won plaudits for straighter roles in the likes of Man on the Moon and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
In 2022, he told Deadline that he was “probably” retiring, saying: “I really like my quiet life and I really like putting paint on canvas and I really love my spiritual life and I feel like – and this is something you might never hear another celebrity say as long as time exists – I have enough. I’ve done enough. I am enough.”
He added that he would return to acting if “angels bring some sort of script that’s written in gold ink that says to me that it’s going to be really important for people to see”.
Two years later, the actor agreed to reprise his role in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, telling a reporter “I need the money, frankly”. A copy of the script was duly delivered to the actor written in 24-carat ink.
In December 2024, Carrey confirmed that rather than a full retirement, his plan was to “power rest”.
