Jim Carrey endured CIA torture training to finish The Grinch

Jim Carrey nearly quit How the Grinch Stole Christmas after the physical ordeal of becoming the green character became unbearable during filming in Los Angeles. The actor described the makeup process as overwhelming, telling The Graham Norton Show, "When I did The Grinch, literally the makeup was like being buried alive every day." Carrey said the first day in the chair lasted eight and a half hours. Afterward, he kicked a hole in his trailer wall and told director Ron Howard he could not continue. Producer Brian Grazer stepped in with an unusual solution. He hired a man trained to teach CIA operatives how to endure torture, Carrey said. The specialist taught distraction techniques and mental exercises. Carrey endured the makeup roughly 100 times, sometimes listening to the Bee Gees or smoking through a long cigarette holder. Carrey said he pushed through for the audience, explaining he did it "for the kids." For viewers, it was holiday magic. For Carrey, it was extreme endurance in green fur.