Fact Check: Is Jim Carrey dead?

Rumours about the passing of Jim Carrey have been circulating on social media recently. However, that is far from the truth, and netizens will be relieved to know that the veteran actor is doing well.

The source of the rumours can be traced back to some clickbait material that surfaced on both Twitter and YouTube.

Known for his out-of-the-box roles, Carrey has played numerous memorable characters over the years, resulting in him garnering a huge fanbase. The Sonic actor has been open about his battle with depression for a long time, which explains why fans were worried upon seeing the fake news.

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Jim Carrey's death is a hoax: Exploring the source(s) of the rumour

The rumours began with two clickbait posts. The first one hails from Twitter, where a user shared a post that seemed to be a screenshot from a news outlet, and read:

“Tragic Passing of Jim Carrey. Jim Carrey’s Health Diminishing: Source. Watch His Last Words to Family, Friends & Fans.”

Although the title left many worried, upon checking the post, one could easily ascertain that it was only a clickbait.

Additionally, a YouTube video also started making rounds on the internet. The misleading title for the same reads:

"R.I.P. It's With Our Deepest Regret to Report About Death Of Comedy Legend Jim Carrey Beloved One"

Not just the title, even the description of the video tries to fool people into thinking that the actor has passed away:

"James Eugene Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a recurring role in the American sketch comedy television series In Living Color. R.I.P. It's With Our Deepest Regret to Report About Death Of Comedy Legend Jim Carrey Beloved One"

In reality, the video discusses the death of comedian Bob Saget, a close friend of Carrey, who passed away on January 9, 2022, due to a head injury.

No reliable source has posted anything about Carrey's demise and it can be safely assumed that the actor is healthy and doing well.

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In 2017, Jim Carrey had opened up about his struggle with depression

In September 2017, the actor had appeared as a guest star on YouTube podcast TIFF Originals.

During the interview, Carrey revealed how he had fabricated his entire persona to help people feel free from concerns, going on to say how Jim Carrey was simply one of the numerous characters he had played. He said:

"I thought I was just building something that people would like, but it was a character. I played the guy that was free from concerns, so people who watched me would be free from concern."

He also talked about battling depression and gave his own analogy of how it is different from sadness. He explained that he felt sadness just stemmed from happenstance or grief, whereas depression was the body's way of telling you that it no longer wanted to be the character you had made it.

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In an interview with Variety in April 2022, the actor also revealed his plans for retirement, sharing that he felt he had done enough work and would like to focus on other pursuits, like painting. He also spoke about his plans to sell NFTs. However, Carrey did mention that his retirement was not cast in stone, and said that he might take up future roles that felt important to him.

The actor was last seen in the sequel of Sonic the Hedgehog and Netflix's Dirty Daddy: The Bob Saget Tribute.