Jim Carrey recounts the terrifying time he only had ‘10 minutes to live’

By Malavika Pradeep

Published Oct 18, 2022 at 11:19 AM

Reading time: 1 minute

37383

Canadian-American actor and comedian Jim Carrey is well-known for his energetic slapstick performances and irreplaceable roles in movies that continue to grip generations. The star has also been open about his battle with depression behind the scenes and, more recently, recounted the terrifying time when he was told that he only had “ten minutes to live.”

Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the comedian and now New York Times best-selling author shared that the cover of his new book represented his face while he was grappling with the concept of impending doom.

Carrey went on to reveal that he was in Hawaii with his daughter while writing his autobiographical novel Memoirs and Misinformation when his assistant called him in tears to tell him that they had “ten minutes left” and the “missiles are coming.” The actor was referring to the time in 2018 when chaos ensued after the state of Hawaii’s emergency alert system sent a mass text that read: “Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill.”

“My brain started winding,” Carrey admitted. Unable to get off the island with his daughter, he recalled thinking, “I don’t want to die in my car.” He then said he had a moment where he just “looked out at the ocean” and pondered what he could do with “the last moment of my time.” 

“I just decided to go over a list of gratitudes… I could not stop thinking about wonderful things that have happened to me and blessings that I’ve had,” Carrey continued, adding that “it was lovely” and he finally “got to a point of grace with two minutes to spare,” when he learned the missile was a false alarm.

After a whopping 40 minutes of the first text terrifying the citizens of Hawaii, a second message was broadcast clarifying that the original warning was sent in error because an employee merely “pressed the wrong button.”

“All I was planning to do was close my eyes and be thankful because it’s been a good ride,” Carrey admitted. I’d have probably done the same, Mr. Carrey—after uploading a series of ‘last sunset in Hawaii’ images onto Reddit’s r/collapse and r/natureisbeautiful, that is.

Keep On Reading

By Eliza Frost

Hailey Bieber’s new hands-free lip tint holder has everyone divided 

By Eliza Frost

Everything you need to know about Trump’s state visit, including that Epstein projection

By Eliza Frost

How Jet2holidays and Jess Glynne became the sound of the summer

By Eliza Frost

How fans manifested Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping

By Eliza Frost

Misogyny, sexism, and the manosphere: how this year’s Love Island UK has taken a step backwards

By Eliza Frost

Sabrina Carpenter says you need to get out more if you think Man’s Best Friend artwork is controversial 

By Eliza Frost

Does the SKIMS Face Wrap actually work, or is it just another TikTok trap?

By Eliza Frost

Kendall Jenner reveals plans to quit Kardashian fame for a normal job

By Eliza Frost

Hailey Bieber just listed all the beauty treatments she swears by

By Eliza Frost

All the Tea on the new app that lets women vet men and date safely

By Eliza Frost

Online pornography showing choking to be made illegal, says government 

By Eliza Frost

American Eagle and Sydney Sweeney face backlash with employee’s LinkedIn post adding fuel to the fire

By Eliza Frost

Rina Sawayama calls out Sabrina Carpenter’s SNL performance of Nobody’s Son for cultural insensitivity 

By Eliza Frost

Bereavement leave to be extended to miscarriages before 24 weeks

By Eliza Frost

Netflix’s Adolescence sweeps Emmys, with star Owen Cooper making history as youngest-ever male winner

By Eliza Frost

NHS makes morning-after pill free at 10,000 pharmacies across England

By Eliza Frost

Taylor Swift’s Release Party of a Showgirl is coming to cinemas everywhere, and it’s already made $15M

By Eliza Frost

Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law; this is what it means for you

By Alma Fabiani

Amazon Music is giving away 4 months free. Here’s how to claim it

By Eliza Frost

Vogue has declared boyfriends embarrassing, and the internet agrees