Jeff Daniels on Choosing to Take 'Dumb and Dumber' Role

Jeff Daniels ('Godless,' 'The Looming Tower') joins Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter for this season's Drama Actors Roundtable. He speaks of his work in 'Godless' and 'The Looming Tower' as well as why he decided to take the role for 'Dumb and Dumber.'
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[@rjaymolina]

Jeff Daniels is one of my favorite actors. The man is just incredibly subtle and brilliant.

[@Squirrel36]

And handsome!

[@omarcorrea]

I can't imagine anyone else playing Harry besides Jeff. Iconic roll and movie

[@joecoe4416]

90s Gary Oldman?

[@Billie0708]

Joe Coe lol no way

[@Squirrel36]

@Joe Coe: Heck-to-the-no, Joe! Jeff Daniels makes the most beautiful, sexy, and adorable Harry Dunne!

[@TheBluffCouncil]

Love Jeff Daniels. You should check out The Bluff Council's episode on Dumb & Dumber. It's hilarious!!! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWKuZ2ypebdrfM0

[@nsasupporter7557]

@Omar Correa the only reason Jeff Daniels was in Dumb and Dumber was because of Jim Carrey. He wanted an actor to be his costar, not another comedian. The studio didn’t want Daniels because he wasn’t a comedian. Carrey wanted an actor because he wanted someone to play off of him, which is exactly what Jeff Daniels did. Carrey didn’t want to work with another comedian because a comedian would just try to compete with him. Jeff Daniels has stated several times in interviews talking about Dumb and Dumber that when you work with Jim Carrey, he’s gonna lead and you’re the follower. That’s why Daniels made his character (Harry) the follower

[@KRPTV]

"FOR GOD SAKES JUST GIVE ME THE DAMN NUMBER!!"😁😁😁

[@nsasupporter7557]

“Skis huh?” “That’s right!” “They yours?” “Uh huh” Both of ‘em?” “…. Yeah” “Haaa… cooooool!”

[@samsonnodelilah5459]

Jeff Daniels did speed alongside Keanu.

[@tonypaella]

I see what you did there

[@timothyw98]

He's fire on all cylinders in the newsroom, a very emotionally engaging character whose both good and bad.

[@Stoneman180190]

Jim Carrey wanted an actor to play Harry, instead of another comedian. And that worked out for the best.

[@nsasupporter7557]

Exactly. But unfortunately Dumb and Dumber 2 was a huge mistake 😞

[@dec23]

I've always thought of Jeff Daniels as a great actor because he played Harry so well and he's not even a comedian. That's talent.

[@Squirrel36]

Amen!

[@MC-vh7go]

Exactly, I would have liked Jeff Daniels if I only saw him in dramas but Dumb and Dumber put him into the legend category. He has this special thing that very few actors have and what a great guy.

[@nsasupporter7557]

@@MC-vh7go the only reason Jeff Daniels was in Dumb and Dumber was because of Jim Carrey. Carrey wanted an actor to be his costar, not another comedian. The studio didn’t want Daniels because he wasn’t a comedian. The reason Carrey wanted an actor was because a comedian would just try to compete with him, he wanted someone who would play off of him and that’s exactly what Daniels did. Jeff Daniels has stated multiple times in interviews talking about Dumb and Dumber that when you work with Jim Carrey, he’s gonna lead and you follow. So Daniels made his character (Harry) the follower

[@MC-vh7go]

@@nsasupporter7557, they are both brilliant and have enormous chemistry together, even decades later. Perfect comedy team even though Jeff isn’t considered a comedic actor, as you said.

[@nsasupporter7557]

@@MC-vh7go actually not anymore, Dumb and Dumber 2 in 2014 was a disaster!

[@dillonsullivan5063]

Dumb and Dumber is a classic for all time!!! Love that movie!

[@crookedman5896]

i Love Jeff.... and I only knew him and recognized him as an actor after i saw Dumb & Dumber, but any other role i discovered old or new, I thought wow... he CAN act! :) im so glad he took that chance of the dice, and it paid off!!! :D

[@KodeLiMe]

3:47

[@BillyBobAndCompany]

Thanks!

[@richardgladstone8975]

My thoughts exactly

[@NegoClau]

This unhinged comedy (dumb and dumber) helped to shape the career is one of the biggest serious actors of all times (Jeff Daniels) and one of the greatest comedy across of all time (Jim Carrey). Let that sink in

[@ashtonturner2862]

Great actor!

[@AndrewFord]

Exactly, final step when you get pass the basics of stage freight, forgetting the camera, tears on cue, and memorization "Being the character" is ALL FOCUSING ON interpretation of the script so hard that you create "being in the moment" because distractions MEAN your not focused.

[@lifeafter79]

When videos talk about something totally different than the title... for most of the video. The best 😐

[@mosttemp]

godless was amazing and jeff was a boss . he is the only reason i watched . bravo

[@trinitytwo14992]

Jeff Daniels part in Dumb and Dumber , where he throws the snowball at the woman is the FUNNIEST part of the movie, not Jim Carry.

[@nsasupporter7557]

The ONLY reason for that was because Jim Carrey wasn’t in that scene! Had Jim been in that scene he would’ve stole it from Jeff like he did the most annoying sound in the world scene, that was all Jim Carrey! Jim Carrey made that movie and he’s the best and most talented comedian who’s ever lived. He was funny in Dumb and Dumber

[@trinitytwo14992]

Christian Believer well he wasnt, and he didnt, and hes not

[@nsasupporter7557]

@@trinitytwo14992 LOL! Is that all you got? You're pathetic! Jim Carrey is the most talented comedian who ever lived and has proven it multiple times in his movies with his physical comedy and creativeness. Jeff Daniels wouldn't have even been in the movie had it not been for Jim Carrey. Your opinion about him MEANS NOTHING

[@cowetascore8476]

@@nsasupporter7557 No. They were still testing Jeff Daniels and they did only scenes with him. Carrey was campaigning for him along with the Farrelly's but the studio did not want him. They did a week shooting and showed the results. The studio agreed.

[@nsasupporter7557]

@@cowetascore8476 there was absolutely no point in telling me any of that… I was aware of all of it. Did you not read any of my earlier replies?? I said the only reason why Daniels was in the film was because of Carrey (and the Farrelly bros) because the studio didn’t want Daniels because they didn’t see him as a comedic actor. My point to that other girl was that Daniels didn’t steal the show from him and if he did it was only because those scenes were him by himself. Had Carrey been in them he would’ve stole the scenes from Daniels… I know they were only testing him

[@brettlandry7071]

If Jeff wouldn't have done dumb and dumber alot of ppl wouldn't know about him

[@grandmaitregilberto2469]

I have seen Jeff in the movie Timescape wich I loved so much because he was so good playing his role like two absolutly different man after what one passed through in 24 hours and his himself not yet, and that marvellous little girl played by Arianna Richards, it was such a pleasure to see that movie many times. I wanted to be a close friend beside him to help him in his aventure through time. Altough the other actors were very bad in that movie. Then I was of course very sad to see him in the role of a stupid idiot with Jim Carrey. But that was funny if you forget that discomfort, and so for the second episode.

[@HlifeRomania91]

Thank god for Lacy

[@Anthony_Spilotro]

Extra gloves??

[@SM-yu4hd]

Repent and believe the gospel!! Jesus is coming back soon!!

[@dianavargas9902]

Michael b Jordan’s arms are distracting, not in a good way :(

[@testicularchin-slapper9686]

Jeff Bridges is awesome, but I could totally see Daniels playing the Dude

[@parsoumash]

He played in two movies out in 1994. Both successful. “Dumb and Dumber” and “Speed” AND in both his name was Harry.

[@nsasupporter7557]

But unfortunately he was only the costar and/or supporting actor In both films 😕 I mean he had a bigger part in Dumb and Dumber than he did in Speed, but he still just the costar in D&D

[@lousyacrobat]

3:45

[@jamesentertainment9030]

Jeff Daniels had a great performance in that movie. It’s awesome he proved his agents wrong

[@yanahakai]

that burp smell wafting took up about 1/7th of this interview.

[@BrakerLane]

I worked with him on Godless 😊

[@Squirrel36]

It's Harry Dunne, the cute one!

[@Squirrel36]

He is too adorable for words! He is 63 years old, (sill looking 37-41!) How he keeps his youthful appearances I shall never know!

[@nsasupporter7557]

What about Jim Carrey?