Jim Carrey stepped back into the spotlight Thursday evening, making a rare public appearance at the 51st Cesar Awards in Paris to receive the ceremony’s honorary award — France’s equivalent of a lifetime achievement honor.
The actor, who has largely retreated from public life in recent years to pursue painting and a quieter existence, was visibly moved by the reception he received from the French film industry’s elite. He teared up as director Michel Gondry, who helmed the beloved 2004 film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” took the stage to introduce him and reflect on their collaboration. Mr. Carrey was also touched when Emmanuel Curtil, the actor who serves as his official French voice, publicly implored him not to abandon the profession.
Mr. Carrey delivered his entire acceptance speech in French — a language he is still learning — with a thick American accent, drawing laughs and a standing ovation from the crowd. He closed the speech with characteristic self-deprecation, asking the audience, “So, how was my French? Almost mediocre, right? Forgive me, I didn’t speak French, but I’m just learning it. My tongue is tired.”
The speech also carried an emotional personal dimension. Mr. Carrey revealed that his ancestor Marc-Francois Carré — originally spelled without the anglicized “y” — was born in the French port city of Saint-Malo roughly 300 years ago before emigrating to Canada, a lineage that eventually wound its way to Mr. Carrey’s own journey to Los Angeles. “Tonight, with this magnificent honor, this square has come full circle,” he said, playing on the French word “carré,” meaning square. “Perhaps this is what my family was looking for.”
He attended the ceremony with his daughter Jane, grandson Jackson, and his girlfriend Mina, and paid tribute to his late father during the speech. “Thank you to the funniest man I have ever known: my father, Percy Joseph Carrey, who taught me the value of love, generosity, and laughter,” he said.
Mr. Carrey joins a distinguished list of Cesar honorees that includes Julia Roberts (2025), Christopher Nolan (2024), David Fincher (2023), Cate Blanchett (2022), Robert Redford (2019) and George Clooney (2017). The honorary Cesar is traditionally awarded to an international star of significant stature.
The Canadian-born actor burst onto Hollywood’s A-list in 1994 with three box office hits in a single year — “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” “The Mask” and “Dumb and Dumber” — and went on to deliver acclaimed dramatic performances in films like “The Truman Show” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” In recent years, however, he has dramatically slowed his output and taken up painting as a creative outlet.
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