In 1983, Jim Carrey was living with his parents and struggling. Somehow, he was also dating Linda Ronstadt and his life changed
In 1983, 21-year-old Jim Carrey was trying to establish himself as a comedian in Los Angeles while living with his parents. He began dating singer Linda Ronstadt after she saw him perform at the Comedy Store, an unlikely relationship that brought together a rising comic and an established music star.
Ronstadt, then 37, reportedly offered Carrey a spot opening on her tour, but he instead cheekily asked her out. Their relationship lasted about eight months; Carrey later recalled being infatuated with her. At the time, he had earned attention in Toronto and had opened for Rodney Dangerfield, but his Hollywood breakthrough was still ahead.
In short
- Jim Carrey and Linda Ronstadt dated for eight months in 1983.
- They met after Ronstadt saw Carrey perform at the Comedy Store.
- Carrey was 21 and living with his parents as he pursued comedy.
Explained simply
In the early 1980s, Jim Carrey was a young comedian trying to build a career in Los Angeles. He had performed in Toronto and opened for established comic Rodney Dangerfield, but had not yet become a Hollywood star.
Linda Ronstadt was an established singer whose work spanned rock, country and pop. Their reported relationship brought together two people at different stages of their careers, and Ronstadt’s offer for Carrey to join her tour could have given him a wider audience. His best-known film roles and broader fame came later.