Jim Carrey 2026 draws cheers and a storm of online doubt at César Awards

Riley Calderon

Published: February 28, 2026 10:13 AM ET

Jim Carrey 2026 draws cheers and a storm of online doubt at César Awards

At the 51st César Awards in Paris on February 26, 2026, jim carrey 2026 accepted a lifetime achievement award and used the moment to publicly confirm a private romance, thanking his "sublime companion" Min Ah — an appearance that also ignited wide online debate over whether the man on stage was really him.

Jim Carrey 2026 at the 51st César Awards

The 64-year-old actor took the stage in Paris to accept an honorary César for his career in comedy and beyond. He thanked family in French as he accepted the honor: "Thank you to my wonderful family, my daughter Jane, and my grandson Jackson, " he said, "as I love you now and forever. " He continued, "Thank you to my sublime companion, Min Ah. I love you, Min Ah. And finally, 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. " Organizers praised his work, highlighting roles in Dumb and Dumber, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Sonic the Hedgehog.

Family on hand: Jane and Jackson, and a named companion

Carrey was joined at the ceremony by his daughter Jane Erin Carrey and her teenage son Jackson, and he specifically acknowledged Min Ah as his "sublime companion. " The actor shared the stage with French film figures and accepted the award amid family applause; reports noted he avoided most red-carpet interviews but, when pressed, quipped, "I'll be back. "

Public reaction split: praise, memes and questions

The appearance marked a return to public life for a performer who stepped back from the spotlight, and it quickly became a focus of intense online conversation. Social media erupted with memes and threads, with some users insisting "That's not Jim Carrey, who is this impostor?" and comparing images from the 1990s to the February 26 clips. Critics on X and TikTok pointed to differences in his eyes, jawline and hair and alleged eye-color changes in low-light clips; others speculated about plastic surgery, fillers, a body double or even a clone, and one popular thread argued that his speech patterns and a French accent masked a "fake" voice. TikTok videos zooming on facial features amassed millions of views. Major outlets Variety and People published official photos and reports confirming it was Carrey. He arrived at the ceremony wearing a simple black suit, with longer dark hair and a trimmed beard, a look some said gave him a more mature vibe. French media also noted a connection to ancestors from Saint-Malo who moved to Canada generations ago. Carrey's team had hinted at his appearance beforehand, but the live moment still caught many off guard. A truncated fragment in the available coverage — "Factors like poor" — is unclear in the provided context.

Past relationships and private life reiterated

The César appearance also brought renewed attention to Carrey's romantic history and long-standing preference for privacy. He was married to Melissa Womer from 1987 to 1995, the union that produced his daughter Jane; he was briefly wed to Lauren Holly; and he dated Renée Zellweger and Jenny McCarthy in the 2000s. He dated makeup artist Cathriona White in the 2010s; White died in 2015 at age 30 from a prescription drug overdose. Carrey has also been linked to Ginger Gonzaga and, earlier in his life, singer Linda Ronstadt for an eight-month period in the early 1980s. Jane once competed on American Idol; Carrey dated Jenny McCarthy from 2005 to 2010.

Early life, comedy beginnings and longtime influences

Biographical details noted at the ceremony and in background coverage include that Carrey was born in the Toronto suburb of Newmarket, Ontario, the youngest of four children. He has recounted that in seventh grade a teacher offered him 15 minutes at the end of the day to perform if he let classmates work in peace; he used spare time to make notes on bits he wanted to try. His father Percy Joseph Carrey helped launch his comedy career by driving him to his debut at Toronto's Yuk Yuk club, where he wore a yellow suit made by his mother and bombed. As his stand-up improved, Rodney Dangerfield hired him to open on tour, taking him to Las Vegas. He met Melissa Wormer while she worked as a waitress at the Comedy Store; they married in 1987 and their daughter Jane was born later that year.

Carrey has described his stance on marriage in past interviews. In a 2014 appearance on The Howard Stern Show he said, "I just don't see it as necessary, " and added, "I can't say that I know how I would feel if I meet somebody that knocks my head off. I can't make hard, fast rules about the future. But I wouldn't voluntarily go that way. " In a 2020 interview he told Stern, "I don't have those things. I do appreciate the people that have come through my life for the good that they gave me. " He has been semi-retired since around 2018, focusing on painting, writing and his personal life away from Hollywood's glare.