NEWS'Mr. Popper's Penguins' Star Jim Carrey's Alternate Career Option: "I Wanted to be a Veterinarian"
Jun. 4 2011, Published 11:19 a.m. ET
Although Jim Carrey has been devoted to acting for most of his life, the funny man does have a soft spot for animals, especially after filming Mr. Popper’s Penguins. While out promoting the upcoming flick on Thursday, Jim told OK! that acting wasn’t his only career option.
“I wanted to be a veterinarian for about a week of my life when I was a kid,” Jim explained to OK! at the Mr. Popper’s Penguins press junket at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, “But I found out about the whole euthanasia thing and I said, ‘I can’t commit to that, sorry!’”
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While the 49-year-old ended up opting for the big screen instead of working with animals, Jim couldn’t help but gush about being able to interact with penguins while shooting the film.
“I loved working with the real penguins,” Jim told reporters, “I love working with animals. I kind of like to join their energy.”
Apparently, the Ontario native got to know a lot about the fuzzy creatures while working on the movie with co-stars Angela Lansbury and Carla Gugino.
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“They made love!,” the Cable Guy actor revealed of the penguins living in their own habitat during the shoot, “There was no hanky panky on the set, but the penguins were going at it! It was insane, which is always a good sign apparently.
Regardless of his love for animals, Jim explained that his father played a big role in influencing him to take the acting route.
“Really since the very beginning, I looked at my father and he was commanding the room. Every time we had people over, he would stand in the middle of the room and I was astounded at his creativity and his animation when he told a story and I was just like, there is no choice for me,” Jim said to OK! of choosing a career in entertainment.
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Mr. Popper’s Penguins, about a man who’s life changes when he inherits six penguins, is set to hit theaters on June 17.
