This Divisive Jim Carrey Movie Brought Kurt & Wyatt Russell Closer Together | Sorry Not Sorry

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is a show that has gifted us the father and son duo of Kurt and Wyatt Russell, but they have a Jim Carrey movie to thank for connecting them at home.

The pair share a role in the Apple TV show, with Wyatt playing the younger version of Lee Shaw, and Kurt the present day version. During a conversation with them for the new season, they revealed to JustWatch that, in addition to both playing Lee Shaw at different points in his life, they also share a love of the same guilty pleasure movie. 

WATCH: Kurt Russell Shares An ADORABLE Ace Ventura Memory With Son Wyatt!

While it is the norm for us regular folk to settle in with the family to watch a movie, it seems bizarre to imagine Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn snuggling down for film night with their children. In a mind-melting ‘they’re just like us’ moment, Kurt Russell shared one of his more memorable movie nights with Wyatt, a first-time viewing of Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls.

How ‘Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls’ Connected Kurt and Wyatt Russell 

When initially probed for a guilty pleasure, Russell announced that “I don’t have to say sorry. My family…they get it. I don’t know how to say sorry, that’s not happened to me”. It seems, then, that the Hawn-Russell household tends to be on the same page when it comes to movies, good, bad, or otherwise. 

While Ace Venture: When Nature Calls was eventually the film that Kurt revealed to love, he, like a lot of us, first confused the comedy sequel with the original, before being corrected by Wyatt. Confusion aside, the movie obviously holds a special place in Kurt’s heart as he opened his memory with, “I think we connected at a very early time in your life because we went to see Ace Ventura”. 

These viewing experiences forge memories and can strengthen the bonds between friends and family. Hearing Kurt Russell recount his first time watching Ace Venture: When Nature Calls is very touching. 

During the story, Kurt couldn’t resist the urge to be an embarrassing dad, gently teasing his son: “Goldie and I sat down next to Wyatt and he said – he had a very heavy lisp at that point – and he said ‘get ready for the funniest movie you’ve ever seen in your life!’” Wyatt took the mention of his former lisp in good humour and the pair shared a laugh before Kurt confirmed young Wyatt’s words to have been correct, “I was roaring from the get go. He was right”. 

There is no denying that Ace Ventura: Per Detective is a ‘90s comedy classic. Alongside The Mask it was Ace Ventura that propelled Jim Carrey to megastardom. Ace Venture: When Nature Calls was less well-received, with the general consensus that it was just a tad too silly. Silly, though, is exactly the type of comedy that children enjoy, so it is easy to understand why a young Wyatt Russell made such a bold declaration about the movie's quality.

Wyatt Russell’s Childhood Binge-Watch Was ‘Good Burger’

Wyatt Russell’s guilty pleasures don’t end with the Ace Ventura sequel, he also has a soft spot for fast-food comedy, Good Burger. The younger Russell had put some thought into his decision and explained his choice in a little more detail: “I used to binge this movie called Good Burger. The tone of the movie was so strange, and odd, and so off that it kind of pulled you in in a way that you just didn’t want to let go.” 

Starring Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell, the stars of ‘90s kids sitcom gold, Kenan and Kel, it is no wonder that a young Wyatt Russell became entranced with the movie. The duo of Kenan and Kel were brilliant at playing to the silly humour that kids love, and that is definitely reflected in Good Burger. 

The story sees two high-school friends desperately try to save the fast-food restaurant they work at when a new fancier burger joint opens up next door. Filled with silly antics, Good Burger is sure to entertain the kids. For more burger-related comedy, also check out Bob’s Burgers and SpongeBob SquarePants. 

Some of the best guilty pleasures stem from the memories of watching movies as a child, and it is always endearing to hear celebrities defend their choices, rather than namedrop cooler films. The wild card selections of Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Good Burger only make us love the Hawn-Russell clan even more, proof that sometimes famous people really are just like us.