The Mask: Cameron Diaz Almost Didn't Star In Jim Carrey Movie
Cameron Diaz almost didn’t star in hit comedy The Mask. The actress got her start in the 1994 film loosely based on the Dark Horse comic of the same name. Jim Carrey starred as Stanley Ipkiss, a sweet, but timid bank clerk who is transformed into a green-faced, zoot-suit wearing cartoon of a gangster after donning a magical mask.
The Mask was a critical and commercial success that spawned an animated series, a video game, and a very poorly regarded sequel. It not only further cemented Carrey - who was still early in his career - as a major star but also launched Cameron Diaz to superstardom. The actress, who was modeling at the time of her casting, played Stanley’s love interest, Tina. Although it was this role that made Diaz famous, she actually wasn’t the director’s first choice.
According to Variety, director Chuck Russell hoped to cast the late Anna Nicole Smith in the part. However, he said after meeting with the model/actress that although she was “charming and bubbly”, she didn’t “have other qualities needed for the role”. So, rather than have Smith read for Tina, the search continued. Casting director Fern Champion, who was looking specifically at models, met with Diaz and felt she had “instant likability.” Apparently, once Russell saw Diaz read for the part, he decided she was the only one who could play Tina. It took eight callbacks and a few improv sessions with Carrey, but eventually, the studio was convinced as well.
It’s difficult to imagine The Mask without Cameron Diaz in the role of Tina, not only because it made the actress a huge star, but also because she was so perfect in the part. It makes a certain kind of sense that Russell was initially interested in Anna Nicole Smith, considering she was such a popular figure at the time. However, that definitely would’ve been a very different movie.
The Mask film recently celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary and interestingly, the comic’s creator Mike Richardson wants to make a female-led reboot. He even has an idea of who should play the titular character, though he chose not to reveal her name just yet. It could be interesting to see a new take on The Mask all these years later. Though the movie is beloved, it did significantly lighten the source material. It seems unlikely this will come to pass any time in the near future, but if it does, fans will be hoping the film finds a worthy successor to Carrey.