Tragedy Behind The Grinch From Curse Of Early Death To Horrific Claims

How The Grinch Stole Christmas is now a firm festive favorite in the run-up to the big day, but as the Daily Star finds out – the cheerful feel of the film couldn’t quite be felt on set

How The Grinch Stole Christmas is one of the most watched festive films in the country.

The film, starring the legendary funnyman Jim Carrey, was released in theaters in 2000 to rave reviews. Jim’s Grinch clothing, which cemented itself as a firm Christmas favorite among children, was recently sold when it went under the hammer for thousands of pounds.

But while the Hollywood film is best known for its hilarious jokes and creepy costumes, the festive feeling wasn’t so positive off-screen. Production staff, actors and extras alike were caught up in a series of problems that rocked filming for the film adaptation of the Dr Seuss classic.

So, as the big day approaches, the Daily Star looks at some of the various difficulties and tragedies that took place on the set of the show.

Tragically early death

Actors across the board were hit with problems both during and after the shooting of the film on the sets. However, none were as tragic as Joshua Ryan Evans, who played the role of Baby Grinch, Jim Carrey’s younger self in the film.

In the film, the Grinch is seen being bullied by a number of his peers at school as he tries to move on with his life. The actor Joshua who played him was perfect for the role after breaking into Hollywood as an actor with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism.

After wowing viewers for his portrayal of the Grinch in 2000, the future looked bright for Joshua as he forged a new career in acting. But two years later, at the age of 20, the star would tragically pass away in a shock announcement.

The star according to CBS News at the time had been undergoing a medical procedure at a San Diego hospital to help with a heart condition he was suffering from. In a shocking coincidence, the night Joshua died was also the night his character Timmy the Living Doll also died on his other project, TV soap Passion.

Depression and substance abuse

Viewers’ hearts were melted by Cindy Lou as she helped the Grinch see the miracle of Christmas after he stole all of Whoville’s presents. But in the real world, actress Taylor Momsen has opened up about the very real depression and substance abuse she faced after being thrust into the spotlight.

Now 31, Taylor admitted she was still recognized on the street for the role she played when she was seven. When asked why the film continues to speak to audiences over twenty years later, she said: “I think people love The Grinch simply because the core of the story is so sweet and it’s so heartwarming and it has such a good message.”

After her stint on The Grinch, Taylor would take on roles in other retellings of old stories, including Hansel and Gretel, as well as new films like Spy Kids 2. But at the height of her career, Taylor hid away from the spotlight — instead to focus on other parts of her life, including a punk band that she is still in today.

In 2021, following the suicide of bandmate Chris Cornell, Taylor was thrown into depression and turned to drugs to fill the void. speaks to Subway after getting clean, she explained, “It broke me in a way that I can’t explain and I wasn’t prepared for as a person; I wasn’t in a good place mentally to be in public.”

Scary accusations

Lead star Jim Carrey was not spared life’s hardships after The Grinch stopped filming, with his career plummeting after allegations were made against him in 2015. The allegations were made by Cathriona White, an Irish makeup artist who would eventually take her own life after details of their relationship were leaked to the public.

Cathriona, who was 25 Jim’s junior, also claimed that Jim had brought her into the horrible world of sex and drugs, and even claimed that he had “given her” herpes. After her death, Jim flew to Ireland to carry Cathriona’s coffin, but a feud soon arose between Jim and Cathriona’s family.

The rift culminated in her family suing Jim for causing Cathriona’s death through the mental disorders she suffered from. The case was eventually thrown out of court, but the damage was done to Jim’s career and he has stayed out of the limelight ever since.

Over time, Jim has dipped his toes back into the Hollywood scene – he landed a role in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie back in 2020. However, two years later in 2022, Jim announced that he would be retiring from acting and has kept his head down ever . since.

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