Jeff Daniels feared that the bathroom scene in DUMB AND DUMB would ruin his career; Jim Carrey convinced him to go all in

Jeff Daniels is a celebrated, Emmy-winning, Tony- and Golden Globe-nominated stage and screen actor known for many incredible performances over the years. Yet many fans still associate him with his role in the 1994 comedy, Dumb and dumber.

He was as committed to the role of Harry Dunne in the film as he was in any previous drama, and this fact matched his comedic timing and chemistry with his co-star. Jim Carrey made it one of his best films. But his team of agents were not convinced that this was the best move for his career.

In a recent interview with USA Today to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary, Daniels explained that the script wasn’t in line with the “serious actor” his agents wanted him to be at the time:

“There were agents who weren’t wrong and told me: ‘You’re a serious actor. This is not the direction you need to go. We’re going to stop this and get you out of the movie.’ But I wanted to shake things up with a comedy. And I wanted to work with Jim Carrey.

Daniels admitted he feared his agents might have been right when it came time to film one of the film’s most disgusting and memorable scenes, in which Harry unknowingly drinks a laxative-laced tea and ends up having a blowout on the toilet. The actor knew that such a scene would be a career-defining moment.

“It’s one thing to read the bathroom scene, but then the day comes and we’ll actually shoot it. I told Jim [Carrey], “This is the beginning of my career or the end.” Jim, who is fearless, told me, “This is going to be great.” You just have to follow through.’ It was a couple of hours of porcelain gymnastics. And that close-up when they stick out tightly on my red face. I had been doing this for so long that I almost passed out.

Daniels said he later heard praise for the scene from none other than Clint Eastwood. The two were golfing together at a celebrity tournament when Eastwood pulled Daniels aside.

“Clint says to me, ‘I just saw Dumb and Dumber and you know, the bathroom scene? This happened to me. And then he tells a story about going on a date with this woman who he really wanted to impress, but the shellfish rubbed him the wrong way during lunch.

“I did my job, beyond my job,” Daniels concluded. “In terms of comedic scenes, the bathroom scene will probably outlast us. It will be fun in 40 years.” I bet he will. That movie is so funny. It (mostly) holds up and is making a new generation laugh 30 years later.

via: Variety