Why Jim Carrey Dropped Out Of Phone Booth Last Minute
Funnyman Jim Carrey has proven time and time again that he has the acting chops to transcend any genre, but in the early 2000s, the actor got cold feet when it came to what would have been his first thriller: Phone Booth. At the time, he was still best known for starring in over-the-top comedy films, such as The Mask, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and Dumb and Dumber. In the late 1990s, however, he earned more acclaim and awards attention for his performances in The Truman Show and Man on the Moon, whichpaved the way for more dramatic projects. Always one for pushing his abilities, Carrey chose to do the thriller Phone Booth as his one of his next projects.
Phone Booth follows a quick and intense plot line of a man confined to the titular location, trapped on a phone call with a sniper who is attempting to extort money with threats of violence and murder. Screenwriter Larry Cohen actually pitched the idea to Alfred Hitchcock in the 1960s — the master of suspense liked the idea, but they could never quite figure out the right ending. Fast forward to the 1990s, and everyone wanted to be a part of the project. Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Mel Gibson, Robin Williams, Anthony Hopkins, and Nicolas Cage were all attached to star at one point, and even Steven Spielberg was interested in directing because it reminded him of a traditional Hitchcock thriller.
Related: Jim Carrey's The Mask Should Be Rebooted As A Horror Series
Once Joel Schumacher signed on to direct Phone Booth, Jim Carrey became interested in the lead role of New York City publicist Stu Shepard. Schumacher had previously worked with Carrey in Batman & Robin, where the actor plays The Riddler. He was apparently fitted for the character’s suit in Phone Booth and even
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