A Unique Experience in "Dumb and Dumber"
Jeff Daniels, known for his diverse and accomplished career, has played a wide range of roles throughout his time in the entertainment industry. However, one role stands out as particularly unique — his part in the 1994 comedy film Dumb and Dumber. According to Daniels, this experience was one of the most “out of body” moments of his career.
During an interview on The Best People podcast, Daniels shared with host Nicolle Wallace that he initially felt unsure about how to portray the character. He described the challenge of playing one of two well-meaning but incredibly dim-witted best friends who embark on a chaotic road trip to return a briefcase filled with money, not realizing it’s part of a ransom.
“I didn’t know how to be that dumb,” Daniels admitted, which caused Wallace to laugh. He insisted that the difficulty wasn’t just in the acting, but in understanding the mindset of his character. This led him to reflect on his screen test with costar Jim Carrey.
“There were a few of us that were in the finals, and so I came in, I remember Jim just kind of started a scene and he kind of screwed his hair up, and so I go, I got to match that, so I did, and then we were kind of bouncing off each other,” he recalled. The chemistry between the two actors clearly worked, as Daniels landed the role.
However, during the actual filming in Colorado, things didn’t go smoothly at first. “We were reading stuff — it wasn't going well and you could tell,” he said. It wasn’t until he had a realization that things clicked into place. “And I said, I know what it is. And I go, what, please? He has an IQ of 8,” he remembered thinking. This shift allowed him to fully embrace the character, becoming more like a “puppy on a leash,” following Carrey’s lead.
This approach proved successful. Despite mixed reviews upon its initial release, Dumb and Dumber went on to become a box office hit, grossing $247 million worldwide. The film also spawned an animated TV series, a 2003 prequel, and a 2014 sequel — all of which Daniels remains grateful for.
“It becomes this kind of ‘everybody does something stupid at some point,’ so that's the kind of universal hook,” he said, expressing satisfaction that the film resonated across generations.
Daniels also expressed surprise at just how broad the appeal of the movie turned out to be. “We knew when we put it out that 12-year-old boys, 13-year-old boys would think of it as their Citizen Kane,” he said. “We were aware of that. We just weren't prepared for the demo that went from 8 to 80.”
For Daniels, having this role among his many iconic performances was part of a broader plan. “Part of my plan was to create as wide a range as possible,” he said. And in the case of Dumb and Dumber, he definitely succeeded.
