Nick Darnell has been wowing the internet as The Grinch. (Credit: Nick Darnell/Facebook)
Have you seen those viral videos where The Grinch jokes around with people at Universal Studios?
If you’ve been on social media recently, you’ve probably seen actor Nick Darnell bring The Grinch back to life, adding his own twist to Jim Carrey’s famous role.
Darnell’s version of The Grinch stands out because of his unique style. He jokes about people’s hairstyles, uses AAVE slang, and even dances the Dougie, making many Black viewers feel represented.
Darnell shared that he grew up watching comedians he admired, like Jim Carrey, Raven-Symoné, Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, and even SpongeBob SquarePants. He told BET that he’s spent hours practicing impressions, saying, “For me, it’s just training that muscle and developing that.”
“When I was younger, I looked at [Carrey] as a godly figure,” he said. “I was like, ‘There’s no way I would reach that level.’ Then, as I got older and just kept on doing impressions, it did feel like a calling. So I would coin the phrase: ‘I’m the chocolate Jim Carrey.’ Like, I am coming.”
“[I] grew up studying Jim Carrey, like all of his work,” he added, saying that he loved watching Carrey on In Living Color. Carrey, he said, was “unapologetically himself…able to kick it with all these Black [comedians]” without changing himself.
Darnell’s viral success can inspire other young people, especially Black kids who love theater. His story shows them that their dreams are within reach.
What do you think of Darnell’s Grinch videos? Tell us your favorite moments, or send this post to a friend who could use a laugh!
If you’d like to learn about more Black innovators who have made America better, check out my book, The Book of Awesome Black Americans!
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