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It started way back in 1990. Jim Carrey was still carving out a name in comedy clubs and sketch shows. But even then, he was already circling big-screen dreams. According to Vulture, he was in the running to play Edward in Edward Scissorhands. So were Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. But Tim Burton had other plans. He handed the blades to Johnny Depp, and launched a cinematic bromance that would span decades.
Depp crushed it. The film became a cult classic. And Burton? He stuck with his new favorite muse. Over the next two decades, Depp starred in Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Sweeney Todd, Corpse Bride, and more Burton fever dreams. Meanwhile, Carrey watched from the sidelines… until 1994 hit like a supercharged comedy cannon.
That year, Carrey went from “that guy on In Living Color” to a full-blown phenomenon with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber. But even after he’d officially made it, the Burton-Depp duo kept locking him out.
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Case in point: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Carrey was reportedly considered for the role of Willy Wonka. His chaotic energy and wide-eyed charm? Perfect fit. But once again, Depp slid in, snagged the role, and gave it his own twitchy, porcelain-doll spin. The 2005 film made bank, $475 million worldwide, but fans were split. Depp’s version stirred debate. Carrey’s? Still just a “what if.”
But the biggest jaw-dropper came in 2003.
Carrey was apparently in the mix for Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Let that sink in. Jim Carrey… as Jack Sparrow. That version of the movie would’ve been a wild ride. More slapstick. Less swagger. Maybe even talking parrots doing double takes.
Instead, Depp turned the rum-soaked rogue into his signature role. He played Sparrow like a Rockstar pirate who’d spent too much time at sea, and fans went crazy for it. The performance turned Depp into a certified A-lister, scoring him an Oscar nom and spawning four sequels.
Meanwhile, Carrey did just fine. In 2003, he headlined Bruce Almighty, a hit comedy that leaned into his god-tier charisma. And years later, he took a villainous turn as Dr. Robotnik in the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, proving he could still go big and bizarre.
But looking back? It was almost comical how many times Carrey got edged out by Depp. From scissorhands to Sparrow, the two stars were on a weird Hollywood collision course. Only one usually got the part.
Depp became Burton’s muse. Carrey became comedy’s king. Different paths. Same town. Wild history.
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