Jeff Daniels spills on doing 'dumber' role that could 'end' his career

Jeff Daniels is recalling one "dumb" role of his career that according to him could have wiped off his career completely.

The Man in Full star, 69, who co-starred with Jim Carrey in the 1994 comedy Dumb and Dumber, described himself as taking a significant risk when he played Harry, the "dumber" of two pals who drove to Aspen, Colorado, to return a woman named Mary's briefcase to her.

Daniels was advised by his representatives not to accept the part in the Peter and Bobby Farrelly movie since he was a "serious actor."

Additionally, he understood that the movie company had originally intended to cast an experienced comic in the part, so he felt under pressure to deliver the most outrageous comedy situations possible.

However, the Guest Artist star said that he was concerned the well-known scene, in which Harry experiences severe stomach issues on Mary's toilet after drinking tea laced with laxatives, would "end" his acting career.

"It's one thing to read the toilet scene, but then the day comes and we're actually going to do the toilet scene," he told USA Today. "I told Jim, 'This is either the beginning of my career or the end of it.' "

Daniels referred to Carrey, 62, who portrayed Lloyd, the slightly more astute side of the pair, as "fearless."

Before filming the iconic moment, the Mask actor gave his co-star a motivational speech.

"[He] told me, 'It's going to be great. You've just got to go all the way with it,' " Daniels noted.

The actor pondered on Carrey's advice. "That was a couple hours of porcelain gymnastics," he recalled of filming. "And that close-up when they pop in tight on my red face. I had been doing it so long, I had almost passed out."

His perseverance paid off, as did the fact that Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood noticed his work and met Daniels at a celebrity golf event shortly after the film's premiere.

"Clint says to me, 'I just saw Dumb and Dumber, and you know the toilet scene? That happened to me,'" the actor told the outlet. "And then he tells a story about dating this woman that he really wanted to impress, but the shellfish hit him the wrong way from lunch."

"In terms of comedic scenes, that toilet scene will probably outlive us," he jokingly added. "It will be funny 40 years from now."