Nicolas Cage Revealed Jim Carrey Wanted Him In ‘Dumb & Dumber’

There are a lot of cases of what-if’s in Hollywood. Several famous movies almost starred someone else as the lead role at one point or the other, which would have changed the entire film and probably how it was received. This is one such instance.

“Dumb & Dumber” was released in 1994 and had the most amazing response. The movie grossed over $240 million and shot Jim Carrey to the limelight in no time. One of the most notable things about the film was the dynamic of Carrey and Jeff Daniels, who played the lead characters.

Nicolas Cage recently appeared in an interview and mentioned another way the movie casting could have gone. According to the actor, he was almost cast as a lead character beside Carrey but preferred to star in “Leaving Las Vegas,” which eventually earned him an Oscar.

Cage admitted that the popular movie “Dumb & Dumber” could have turned out a little different. The “Face/Off” actor was apparently supposed to star in the comedy but had to leave for another movie. Cage revealed that even Carrey wanted him on the cast list, but he had another preferred engagement.

Instead of the comedy film, he ended up among the cast of “Leaving Las Vegas.” During his GQ interview, Cave responded to fans who said he was one of the original actors considered for the lead characters, Harry and Lloyd. According to the actor, the comment has some truth.

The actor had this to say about the Carrey, “I know Jim [Carrey] wanted me to be in [Dumb & Dumber] with him, but I wanted to do a little movie called ‘Leaving Las Vegas’ instead.” If Cage had been part of the cast, he would have taken the place of Jeff Daniels and no doubt altered the entire movie in some way.

“Dumb & Dumber” was directed by Peter Farrelly and followed two friends (Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne) on a well-meaning journey to return a suitcase of money to its owner across the country.

Their good deed ended up being more trouble than it was worth when they became a target for kidnappers. The money was apparently meant to be a ransom payment for its owner’s husband. Carrey starred as Lloyd, Daniels as Harry, and Lauren Holly as the original owner of the briefcase. Charles Rocket played the kidnapper.

Upon its 1994 release in theaters, the movie became a box office hit and grossed $247 million against the $17 production budget. It had positive reviews from critics and a sizable cult following over the years. The comedy also put Carrey’s acting career in high gear and showed Daniels’ range in handling different genres.

Cage’s movie, “Leaving Las Vegas,” was also a critical success, albeit on a much smaller scale. The movie was directed and written by Mike Figgis and based on John O’Brien’s semi-autobiographical book, which had the same name.

The 1995 movie revolved around a suicidal alcoholic who decided to move into Nevada town after losing his job and his family. Besides Cage, other cast members include Elizabeth Shue, Julian Sands, Richard Lewis, Emily Procter, Steven Weber, and Valeria Golina.

It grossed around $50 million compared to its $4 production budget, and the entire script was applauded, alongside Cage’s performance in the movie. The movie remains one of the actor’s best-reviewed works to date.

Although “Dumb & Dumber” was the more successful movie, everything panned out for both actors. Cage’s performance in “Leaving Las Vegas” got him his first and only Oscar award. Carrey and Daniels, on the other hand, managed to secure their comedic status in Hollywood.

Cage’s success in “Leaving Las Vegas” landed him more gigs, and the actor went on to have a huge career in the ‘90s. His more popular movies include “Face/Off” and “Con Air.” He was also in “8mm,” “The Rock,” and several others.

The “Ghostrider” actor is apparently getting even busier this year. His latest movies include “Mandy” and “Pig,” which bagged Cage some of the best reviews of his acting career. “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” will be released this year, and Cage is already filming “Renfield,” where he’ll play Dracula.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwWFd_9fUYM