Jim Carrey's 1994 breakthrough Ace Ventura: Pet Detective came after a decade toiling in bit parts in such films as Peggy Sue Got Married and Earth Girls Are Easy. The 42-year-old Canadian has since established himself as a major star, adept at wild comedy as well as character roles with more serious intent. His most recent films are Bruce Almighty, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events. Upcoming projects include Fun With Dick & Jane, The Six Million Dollar Man and The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty.

Lemony Snicket director Brad Silberling has compared you to Peter Sellers. How does that feel?

It's obviously pretty lofty; he was one of my favourites. But I just saw The Life And Death Of Peter Sellers, and I hope I'm not compared to him in every way. Stomping on the children's toys was pretty heavy. I guess it's because I was playing multiple roles in Lemony Snicket but I always tried to keep in mind that I was Count Olaf the whole time. This movie is something that could be revisited because there are so many possibilities. We came up with 30 characters in the trailer that will never be seen, but are so much fun. It was really a thrill.

So you're saying you would do a sequel?

If they back the truck up, you know what I mean? This was fun. It's amazing how something so incredibly negative could be such a blessing. I think our lives are all better by comparison.

Your character, Count Olaf, is a dreadful actor. Were you inspired by anyone in Hollywood?

Bruce Willis. I'm kidding. Basically the character is born out of an absolute black hole, void of a person or sense of self which is so true of some actors. He's an actor losing his hair too, which always adds a danger element. It was just a fantastic idea to be able to make fun of our profession; we're a very vulnerable group.

Why is it so much fun to play an iconic bad guy like Count Olaf?

It's fun because you take away all the rules. There's nothing you can't do, and yet everybody's still safe and it's okay. It was a very strange kind of balancing act on this one, because he is really dangerous and yet you want to laugh at him.

What advice would you give to young actors with an eye on a comedy career?

Stay out of my way. Don't get any parts that I want - I will track you down! No, I honestly believe that the most important thing is to believe, to have faith. There are times when you're up against the wall in this business, where you think there's no love, there's no money, there's very little that keeps you going except faith. I've always operated that way from the very beginning. I've visualised everything that happened and I've always just had this weird kind of feeling that I could make it happen in a way, with God's help and the help of my friends, you know. It's been good.

How does the experience of making this film compare with your other dark festive tale, The Grinch?

The Grinch just wants to be left alone; Count Olaf wants to be seen by everyone and revered and thought of as a genius by everyone. So he's much closer to the real me.

The makeup job must have been easier on this too...

Oh, The Grinch broke me. I was a wild pony before that happened but I would cry before I went to the makeup trailer, it was so difficult. So this one was a joy. Maybe that film was preparing me for this.

Toddler twins Kara and Shelby Hoffman play the youngest of the Baudelaire children, Sunny. When you were in full makeup you surely terrified them, didn't you?

Yeah, they were terrified. It was very hard to get through that and be mean to them in character. They tried everything with those kids, you know. They were tossing fruit loops to them, and somebody with a little tv on behind me. So a lot of times when you see the baby she's actually watching Shrek instead.