Jim Carreys New Face: Sadness and Hate Uncovered

's expressive and animated acting style has come to define his comedic career on the big screen.

So it is perhaps unfortunate that it is the once-recognizable face of Hollywood's favorite funnyman that has drawn intense scrutiny of late.

Best known for iconic 2000s roles in movies such as The Grinch and Bruce Almighty, the now 64-year-old Carrey has opted for a decidedly more reclusive life in recent years, even suggesting in 2022 that he might retire from the public eye altogether.

But in late February this year he emerged once more - though you'd be forgiven for missing him in a crowd.

After all, puffy and swollen, the actor's face appeared borderline deformed at the annual Cesar Awards in Paris. So much so that online conspiracies were soon circulating suggesting the strange-looking man in the French capital was actually a 'clone' of the beloved actor.

Now, an insider tells the Daily Mail that Carrey has been 'sad' to hear the cruel the clone rumors - though not because criticism of his appearance much bothers him.

'Jim is sad. Not because people are questioning or making fun of his appearance, he's not worried about that at all. Rather, he is sad that people are stupid,' the insider said.

'The world he lives in has people that believe a 64-year-old man is now apparently a clone.'

Carrey, the insider continued, 'has been turned into a conspiracy theory, and he finds it frustrating that people actually believe he isn't the real Jim Carrey.'

When photos emerged of him at the 51st Cesar Awards - at which he received an honorary gong for his decades-long career on screen - fans flocked to social media to insinuate that a clone of Carrey, not the actor himself, had accepted the award.

Theorists wildly claimed that his eye color appeared to be lighter, and that he was signing autographs with his right hand, despite reports that he is left-handed. 

Of course, adding to the rumor mill was drag artist Alexis Stone - known for uncanny transformations into various A-listers - who claimed to have used makeup and prosthetics to become Carrey. 

However, a representative for the actor Monday that Carrey did in fact attend the awards show, dubbed the French Oscars, on February 26.

While it may seem like the type of rumors to brush off as pure fantasy, our source insisted that Carrey is not taking the situation lightly.

'For Jim, this is something he should laugh about, but stupidity like this is a not a laughing matter,' the insider said.

'He hates that people aren't talking about what is actually important. He finds himself shaking his head constantly, and just finds the entire thing a sad situation.'

Cloning speculation aside, however, Carrey has also been accused of going under the knife.