What do Coachella headliner Ariana Grande and politically embattled comedian Jim Carrey have in common? The two celebrities have been very open recently about their private battles with mental illness.
And now they are bonding over their shared mission to destigmatize depression.
Earlier this month, the “Thank U, Next” singer shared MRI scans on Instagram of a healthy brain versus her own — showing signs of PTSD. She was diagnosed with the disorder following the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack, which killed 22 and injured more than 100 others.
This past Saturday, Grande then revealed how Carrey — who has been outspoken about his depression in the past — has emboldened her throughout her psychological struggles. In an Instagram story, she shares a quote from the 57-year-old actor.
“Depression is your body saying, ‘I don’t want to be this character anymore. I don’t want to hold up this avatar that you’ve created in the world. It’s too much for me,’ ” it reads.
Carrey’s words continue, “You should think of the word ‘depressed’ as ‘deep rest.’ Your body needs to be depressed. It needs deep rest from the character that you’ve been trying to play.”
In a later post, 25-year-old Grande admitted she’s actually a longtime fan of Carrey’s, saying, “My first AIM username was jimcarreyfan42 when I was in like 4th grade.”
For his part, Carrey seems to be humbled by Grande’s use of his words.
“.@ArianaGrande I read your lovely mention of me and things I’ve said about depression. A brilliant teacher and friend, Jeff Foster was OG on the ‘Deep Rest’ concept,” Carrey writes on Twitter. “I admire your openness. I wish you freedom and peace. I feel blessed to have such a gifted admirer. Happy Easter!”
Grande was quick to respond on Twitter, thanking him for his “kindness.”
“i don’t think u understand how much i adore u or what u mean to me,” she responds. “thank u for taking the time to share this w me. you are such an inspiration.”
She then goes full-on Carrey fangirl: “i can’t wait to tattoo this tweet to my forehead.”