Jim Carrey's Grinch Makeup Was So Grueling He Had A Military Torture Expert Help Him Cope

The comedian detailed some of the tips he used to cope with one of his most memorable roles.

It really isn’t easy being green.

Jim Carrey’s performance as the titular holiday hater in the 2000 live-action “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” movie came with a heavy dose of physical discomfort and mental anguish for the star, according to a comprehensive oral history of the hit film published Friday in Vulture.

His suffering stemmed from the elaborate costume, prosthetics and makeup needed to bring the furry Dr. Seuss character to life.

“The suit was made of unnervingly itchy yak hair that drove me insane all day long,” Carrey told Vulture. “I had 10-inch-long fingers, so I couldn’t scratch myself or touch my face or do anything. I had teeth that I had to find a way to speak around, and I had full contact lenses that covered the entire eyeball, and I could only see a tiny tunnel in front of me.”

Producer Brian Grazer noted that Carrey was offered the option of having his eyes digitally edited, but the comedian insisted on the painful contacts, which Grazer described as “like Frisbees in his eyes.”