Jim Carrey Shares What He Learned After Stepping Away from the Spotlight

While on the red carpet at the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 premiere in Los Angeles Monday, the longtime actor spoke to E! News about the perspective he's gleamed from taking a break from Tinseltown.

"I think whenever you step away from something -- even if it's something you love -- you get a new appreciation for it," Carrey said of his Hollywood hiatus. "A different angle on the whole thing."

The 62-year-old explained he's never taken himself "too seriously," which also helped him enjoy the time away -- and it gave his fans a chance to actually miss him.

"I also value getting out of people's faces," he explained. "I mean, some people just want to be in people's faces all the time, and I don't, so I like to give them a rest."

The Liar Liar star said he's grateful his fans have stuck by him through the years, during his break from spotlight and now that he's returned, adding, "I appreciate it. I'm gratified by it."

Carrey recently touched on coming out of retirement for the third installment of the Sonic series in a recent interview with the Associated Press.

The actor, who plays the character of Dr. Robotnik, said beyond being excited to reprise the role, there was a more practical reason he signed on for the film -- the paycheck.

"I bought a lot of stuff," he quipped, "and I need the money, frankly."

The candid confession came two years after the How the Grinch Stole Christmas alum originally discussed retiring from acting for good.

"I'm being fairly serious," he told Access Hollywood in March 2022. "If the angels bring some sort of script that's written in gold ink that says to me that it's gonna be really important for people to see, I might continue down the road. But I'm taking a break."

As Carrey explained, he was very much enjoying his "quiet life," as well as taking time to paint and focus on his "spiritual life."

"I have enough," he said. "I've done enough. I am enough."