‘Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond’ Trailer Reveals Jim Carrey’s Transformation Into Andy Kaufman
“For twenty years, the behind-the-scenes footage has been withheld…until now.” So reads the opening line of the official synopsis for Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond. That line is also featured in the first trailer for the upcoming Netflix Original film, which uses previously suppressed footage from the set of Man on the Moon to explore Jim Carrey’s wild transformation into his comedic idol, Andy Kaufman, for Milos Forman’s 1999 biopic.
According to Carrey, the studio “didn’t want the behind-the-scenes footage to surface” because, he says, people might think he was “an a—hole.” That footage has now been released, and it shows Carrey committing so fully to the role of Kaufman that someone on set expresses concerns about being sued for creating a stressful environment. As implied by the title, Carrey went far beyond in his method approach to portraying the late comedic icon, who was more interested in confusing his audience than entertaining them. Kaufman’s entire persona was a piece of performance art, and the way Carrey saw it, there was only one way to do this role justice: By essentially becoming Andy Kaufman.
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond looks like a fascinating, if somewhat self-serving documentary; if nothing else, seeing this 20-year-old behind-the-scenes footage is pretty awesome.
Directed by Chris Smith (The Yes Men) and produced by Spike Jonze, Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond hits Netflix on November 11.