Claim: Jim Carrey has worked with people.

The Truman Show is a 1998 American satirical comedy-drama science fiction film directed by Peter Weir , produced by Scott Rudin , Andrew Niccol , Edward S. Feldman , and Adam Schroeder , and written by Niccol . The film stars Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank , adopted and raised by a corporation inside a simulated television show revolving around his life , until he discovers it and decides to escape ; additional roles are provided by Laura Linney , Noah Emmerich , Natascha McElhone , Holland Taylor , and Ed Harris .   The Truman Show was originally a spec script by Niccol , inspired by an episode of The Twilight Zone called `` Special Service '' . Unlike the finished product , it was more of a science-fiction thriller , with the story set in New York City . Scott Rudin purchased the script , and set up production at Paramount Pictures . Brian De Palma was to direct before Weir signed as director , making the film for $ 60 million -- $ 20 million less than the original estimate . Niccol rewrote the script while the crew was waiting for Carrey to sign . The majority of filming took place at Seaside , Florida , a master-planned community located in the Florida Panhandle .   The film was a financial success , debuting to critical acclaim , and earned numerous nominations at the 71st Academy Awards , 56th Golden Globe Awards , 52nd British Academy Film Awards and The Saturn Awards . The Truman Show has been analyzed as a thesis on Christianity , metaphilosophy , simulated reality , existentialism and reality television .