“The Grinch,” a cinematic adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ classic children’s book, has captivated audiences of all ages since its release in 2000. Directed by Ron Howard and starring Jim Carrey in the lead role, the film tells the story of the Grinch, a green, furry creature who lives isolated atop a mountain, intending to ruin Christmas for the inhabitants of Whoville. Behind the magic of the screen, “The Grinch” hides a series of fascinating trivia that unveil details about the production, special effects, and even the challenges faced by the crew during filming.

In this text, we will delve into the trivia behind this beloved Christmas film, exploring the behind-the-scenes that made the creation of this cinematic fantasy masterpiece possible.

1 – MOCKING THE DIRECTOR’S FACE

As the Grinch is leading his faithful dog, Max, before embarking on his Christmas stealing plans, Jim Carrey takes the opportunity to playfully mock the producer and director Ron Howard, mimicking his directing style. Howard found the scene extremely amusing and chose to include it in the film.

2 – HEAVY AND UNCOMFORTABLE MAKEUP

Rick Baker revealed that applying the prosthetic makeup worn by Jim Carrey took approximately two hours, while removal required about an hour. Carrey shared that he felt so constricted and uncomfortable under the latex skin that he sought guidance from a CIA agent, who taught him torture resistance techniques. During the ninety-two days he spent in character as the Grinch, Carrey dedicated two hours every morning to transform and an hour every night to remove the makeup.

He described this experience as a period of self-discovery, referring to himself as a “Zen Master” while patiently waiting in the makeup chair.

Upon first trying on the Grinch makeup, Jim Carrey was so uncomfortable that he expressed his frustration by kicking a hole in the wall and communicated to Ron Howard that he didn’t feel capable of playing the role. He described the experience as akin to being buried alive.

3 – DIRECTOR WANTED TO PLEASE JIM CARREY, BUT ACTOR GOT ANGRY

Ron Howard, the producer and director of the film, expressed his immense gratitude to Jim Carrey for enduring the long hours of discomfort during the makeup application. As a gesture of appreciation, Howard decided to don the full Grinch costume, including the makeup, and direct an entire day of filming. He intended it as a way to honor Carrey. However, when Carrey spotted Howard dressed as the Grinch, he became quite upset, thinking it was a stunt double who “bore no resemblance to him at all.”

4 – SCARING ANOTHER FILM SET

The Whoville set was largely constructed backstage at Universal Studios, situated behind the Bates Motel. During a break in filming, Jim Carrey surprised and scared tourists on the Universal Studios backlot tour by running out of the hotel wearing a dress and wielding a knife. Surely, no one recognized him.

5 – THE CONTACT LENSES WERE UNBEARABLE TO WEAR

Due to the discomfort caused by the yellow contact lenses, Jim Carrey often couldn’t wear them during filming. As a solution, on some occasions, images of his eyes were digitally edited in post-production to achieve the desired effect.

6 – NARRATION IN JUST ONE DAY

Anthony Hopkins completed all the recordings for the narration of this film in a single day.

7 – LEARNING TO BE A “WHO”

The actors and actresses attended Who-School accompanied by a choreographer, where they learned how to move and feel comfortable in the role of a Who.

8 – IT WASN’T JUST JIM CARREY LIVING IN MAKEUP

Since “The Wizard of Oz” (1939), no other film had featured such a large number of characters with elaborate makeup and costumes like this one.

9 – SHAVED HIS EYEBROWS

During production, Jeremy Howard, the actor portraying Drew Lou Who, chose to shave his eyebrows to speed up the makeup process, thus reducing the required time by half.

10 – HUNDREDS OF HAND-KNIT SWEATERS

Suss Cousins, a Los Angeles-based sweater designer whose name is pronounced similarly to Dr. Seuss, collaborated with two other knitters to create 250 unique knitted pieces for this film. This included crafting eight identical red-striped sweaters for Jim Carrey. All this work was completed over a four-month period, resulting in an average of 83.3 sweaters per person in just 120 days. This feat is extraordinary considering that all pieces were hand-knitted.

11 – BIGGEST CHRISTMAS HIT SINCE HOME ALONE

This film achieved the highest box office gross for a Christmas movie since “Home Alone” (1990).
“Home Alone” grossed an incredible $467 million, while “The Grinch” grossed $346 million.

12 – THE FILM’S HOUSES WERE PRESERVED BY THE STUDIO FOR 20 YEARS

The Whoville house set was preserved on the backlot of Universal Studios after filming ended, although over the years all decorations were removed and paint colors faded away. It remained intact for nearly two decades before finally being demolished in 2020 to make room for new additions. During this period, the set was a featured attraction on the Universal Studio Tour and a highlight during holiday festivities.

13 – JIM CARREY SMOKED A LOT DURING FILMING

Jim Carrey was a frequent smoker, which helped him cope with the stress caused by the heavy makeup he wore to portray the Grinch (an experience he likened to being buried alive). However, due to the fact that his costume was covered in flammable yak hair, he needed to use a very long cigarette holder to avoid any potential risk of fire.

14 – MAX THE DOG WOULD BE COMPUTER-GENERATED

Initially, the idea was for Max to be represented through CGI animation, allowing him to have comedic expressions similar to those seen in the 1966 animated short.

15 – THE SONG “WHERE ARE YOU CHRISTMAS?”

The song playing during the credits, “Where Are You Christmas?”, was written by Mariah Carey and performed by Faith Hill. Initially, it was planned for Carey to release her own version of the song, but due to a legal dispute between her and her ex-husband, Tommy Mottola, who was also the president of her record label at the time, this was not possible. Thus, Hill was chosen to re-record the song. Despite this, Carey retained credit as the songwriter, while Hill received credit for the performance.

In summary, the 2000 adaptation of “The Grinch” is much more than just a Christmas movie. Behind the screens, there is a rich tapestry of trivia that reveals the effort and dedication of the production team, as well as the talent of the actors involved. From the challenges faced by Jim Carrey with the heavy makeup to the intricate details of the Whoville set, the film offers a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of its creation. By exploring these tidbits, we are led to further appreciate the magic and charm of this modern classic, which continues to warm the hearts of families in every festive season.