Jim Carrey has been honest about his decision to return for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, two years after declaring he was retiring from the big screen.
Despite a hugely successful career in the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s, the Ace Ventura star has been notably selective about his roles in recent years.
In 2022, while promoting Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the 62-year-old told Access Hollywood he was contemplating stepping away from acting altogether.
“Well, I’m retiring. Yeah, probably. I’m being fairly serious,” he said at the time.
“It depends. If the 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, I might continue down the road.
“But I’m taking a break.”
Adding: “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.”
However, the beloved Hollywood star, who has largely stepped away from the spotlight and acting over the past decade, quipped that he returned to the big screen because he needed the money.
Speaking to the Associated Press at Tuesday night’s London premiere, he laughed: “That might’ve been hyperbole, yeah.
“I came back to this universe because I get to play a genius, which is a bit of a stretch. And you know, I bought a lot of stuff and I need the money, frankly.”
The first Sonic movie marked the Canadian star’s return to major studio films after a six-year break, though he stayed active with other projects in the interim.
He starred in indie films The Bad Batch and Dark Crimes and led Showtime's comedy series Kidding, which aired 20 episodes over two seasons before being cancelled. In 2020, Carrey also made six guest appearances on Saturday Night Live, portraying Joe Biden.
In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Carrey not only reprises his role as Dr. Robotnik but also lends his voice to the character's grandfather, Gerald Robotnik.
The star-studded voice cast also features Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba, James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, Adam Pally, and Krysten Ritter.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 lands in UK cinemas on Friday, December 20
