Hollywood’s mask has slipped. Director Chuck Russell, the man who gave Jim Carrey his big green break and handed Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson his first leading role, has died at his San Diego home, aged 74. His family confirmed the news via a statement. A cause has not been confirmed; the local fire department was called to the property on Wednesday afternoon over reports of an unconscious male.
Russell’s career was a masterclass in genre-hopping. He cut his teeth as executive producer on 1981 cult slasher Hell Night, before co-writing sci-fi caper Dreamscape in 1984. His directorial debut, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, revived a flagging franchise in 1987, proof he could resurrect the dead long before he became one of Hollywood’s own legends.
Then came the big one. The Mask, released in 1994, turned Carrey and Cameron Diaz into household names and grossed a whopping US$350 million on an US$18 million budget, a return most studios would sell their soul for.
Russel went on to team up with Arnold Schwarzenegger on Eraser, spook audiences with Bless the Child, and launch The Rock’s solo stardom with The Scorpion King in 2002. His final credit was 2024’s Witchboard, a fittingly full-circle return to horror.
Russell didn’t just direct stars; he made them. Hollywood’s A-list owes him more than a few of its brightest names.
