Honestly, looking back at the mid-90s, it’s wild how much of a grip Jim Carrey had on the world. He was everywhere. But the Ace Ventura When Nature Calls cast is such a strange, mismatched puzzle of actors that it probably shouldn't have been as funny as it was. You’ve got a legendary Shakespearean stage actor, a future Oscar nominee, a stand-up comedy powerhouse, and the guy who played the most terrifying warden in cinema history.
It's a weird mix.
Most people remember the slinky falling down the stairs or the rhino "birth" scene. Those moments are etched into our collective brains. But the people surrounding Carrey are the ones who actually make the movie watchable. Without their "straight man" energy, Ace would just be a guy screaming at a wall for 90 minutes.
The Heavy Hitters: Simon Callow and Ian McNeice
Let's talk about the British contingent. It's kinda funny that a movie filled with fart jokes and butt-talking managed to recruit someone like Simon Callow. Callow is a titan of British theater. If you’ve seen Four Weddings and a Funeral, you know him. In When Nature Calls, he plays Vincent Cadby, the British consul who is secretly the villain of the piece.
He plays it so posh.
Then you have Ian McNeice as Fulton Greenwall. McNeice is basically the emotional anchor of the film, or at least the guy who has to explain the plot while Ace is trying to eat a grape without using his hands. He’s got that "constantly flustered" vibe down to a science. Greenwall is the one who tracks Ace down in the Himalayas (where he's trying to find inner peace after failing to save a raccoon) and drags him into the search for the great white bat, Shikaka.
The Breakout: Sophie Okonedo as the Wachati Princess
Before she was nominated for an Academy Award for Hotel Rwanda, Sophie Okonedo was the Wachati Princess. It’s one of those "before they were famous" roles that makes you double-take when you rewatch it. She has to play the love interest in a movie where the leading man is basically a human cartoon.
It’s a tough gig.
She handles it with a surprising amount of grace, considering the script. The movie’s depiction of African tribes hasn't aged particularly well—even Jim Carrey has admitted he had some issues with it later on—but Okonedo’s performance is a bright spot. She manages to be charming even when the plot is veering into total absurdity.
The Villains and Rivals: Bob Gunton and Tommy Davidson
If you recognize Bob Gunton, it’s probably because he was Warden Norton in The Shawshank Redemption. Seeing him go from a corrupt, murderous prison warden to Burton Quinn, a suspicious safari owner, is a trip. He brings a level of gravitas that the movie doesn't necessarily "need," but definitely benefits from.
Then there’s Tommy Davidson.
Davidson was Carrey’s co-star on In Living Color, so their chemistry is already baked in. He plays the Tiny Warrior (and the Wachootoo Prince). His fight scene with Ace—the one with the tiny spears and the "Projecting! I'm projecting!" bit—is arguably one of the most quoted parts of the film. It's purely physical comedy, and Davidson is one of the few people who can actually keep up with Carrey's manic energy.
The Supporting Players You Forgot
There are a few other faces in the Ace Ventura When Nature Calls cast that are worth noting:
- Maynard Eziashi as Ouda: He plays the translator/guide who gets stuck in the middle of Ace’s nonsense. His reactions to the "monocle" scene are gold.
- Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Hitu: You might know him as Mr. Eko from Lost or Killer Croc. Here, he’s a formidable presence as one of the guards.
- Bruce Spence as Gahjii: He’s a veteran character actor who has been in everything from Mad Max to Lord of the Rings.
- Michael Reid McKay as the "Monopoly Man": The guy who gets punched because Ace thinks he's the mascot for the board game. This is actually a huge point of debate for Mandela Effect fans because the actor isn't wearing a monocle, yet everyone remembers him having one.
Why the Casting Matters
The magic of this movie isn't just Jim Carrey being loud. It's the contrast. When you put a serious actor like Simon Callow in a scene with a man who is currently pretending to be a rhino, the humor comes from the friction. If everyone in the movie was as wacky as Ace, it would be exhausting.
Instead, director Steve Oedekerk (who stepped in after the original director was fired) leaned into the "fish out of water" trope. By surrounding Ace with people who seem like they belong in a serious drama, the absurdity of the "Pet Detective" persona is amplified.
What to Do Next
If you're planning a rewatch, keep an eye on the background actors. Many of them are legit theater performers who are trying their absolute best not to break character while Jim Carrey ad-libs.
- Check out Simon Callow’s other work: Compare his performance here to his roles in Amadeus or Shakespeare in Love. It’s a masterclass in range.
- Watch In Living Color: To really understand the Carrey/Davidson dynamic, you have to see where they started.
- Look for the "Mandela Effect" details: Specifically the Monopoly guy scene. It's a fun bit of trivia to share next time the movie comes up.
The Ace Ventura When Nature Calls cast is a time capsule of 1995 Hollywood. It's a mix of prestige actors taking a paycheck and rising stars who would go on to do much "bigger" things. But for 108 minutes, they were all just parts of a machine designed to make us laugh at a guy with a very specific haircut.
📖 Related: Cobra Kai Cast Season 1: How They Pulled Off the Greatest Comeback in TV History
Actionable Insight: When watching 90s comedies, look for the "Straight Man." The longevity of these films often relies more on the grounded reactions of the supporting cast than the antics of the lead. Without Ian McNeice's frustration, Ace Ventura's character wouldn't have a foil to play against, making the comedy feel one-dimensional.