The 2000 holiday classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” almost had a very different face behind the iconic green fur as the star of “Full House.” John Stamos revealed that he auditioned once for the lead role.

On the Dec. 23 episode of “‘Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast” — hosted by “Saturday Night Live” star James Austin Johnson and produced by Wondery in collaboration with Dr. Seuss Enterprises — John Stamos shared a surprising revelation, explaining why his opportunity to play the Grinch ultimately failed.

Stamos, now 61, shared that during a makeup test, he suffered an allergic reaction to the prosthetics needed to transform into the Grinch. This reaction forced him to abandon his role, ultimately paving the way for Jim Carrey to step in and deliver his unforgettable performance.

“Hey, you know, I have something. Here’s an interesting fact that you don’t know about me,” Stamos said on the podcast. “I was originally going to play you in the movie that Jim Carrey got. Did you know? I went for the makeup test.”

“And I was allergic to all prosthetics,” he revealed.

Despite behind-the-scenes hiccups, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” became a huge success, grossing more than $345 million worldwide. The film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling and secured Jim Carrey a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.

The beloved film also starred Taylor Momsen, Jeffrey Tambor and Christine Baranski, cementing its place as a holiday must-see.

In 2018, Illumination Studios, the animation powerhouse behind hits like “Despicable Me” and “The Secret Life of Pets,” released a computer-animated adaptation of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” » by Dr. Seuss! simply titled “The Grinch”. This adaptation, directed by Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney, sought to blend the timeless charm of the classic Dr. Seuss story with a dynamic, contemporary animation style designed to captivate modern audiences.

The film presented Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the Grinch, bringing a unique interpretation to the iconic character. Cumberbatch infused the Grinch with a balance of grumpiness, wit, and vulnerability, adding layers to his personality that made him both entertaining and relatable. His polished British tone gave The Grinch a sharp edge while still leaving room for warmth and humor to shine through in key moments.

While remaining faithful to the original tale, “The Grinch” (2018) expanded on the Grinch’s backstory, offering insight into why he despises Christmas so deeply. The film portrays him not only as a bitter recluse, but also as a character shaped by loneliness and childhood trauma, which makes his transformation at the end more sincere and earned.

Jim Carrey recently said Comic that he might be willing to reprise his iconic role as the Grinch but on one major condition.

“The problem is that the day of, I’m doing this with a ton of makeup and I can barely breathe. It was an extremely excruciating process,” he explained. “The kids were on my mind all the time. ‘This is for the kids. This is for the kids. This is for the kids.’ And now, with motion capture and things like that, I could be free to do other things.”

Jim Carrey, known for his transformative performances, recently spoke about the challenges posed by heavy prosthetics in some of his most iconic roles.

In “Sonic 3,” Carrey sported a bald cap and an exaggerated mustache to play the eccentric villain, but he described the process as relatively painless.

“There was no challenge like the Grinch,” he said. Us every week. “[For] The Grinch, I had to be trained by a guy who tells people and CIA agents how to endure torture. That’s how I got through The Grinch. So that was the worst.”

His portrayal of the Grinch in the 2000 holiday classic required hours in the makeup chair every day, with layers of prosthetics, green fur and contact lenses transforming him into the grumpy anti-hero of Dr. Seuss.