David Alan Grier Explains Why He Passed On ‘Ace Ventura’ & ‘Seinfeld’

David Alan Grier has some regrets about certain casting choices.

The St. Denis Medical star recently appeared on NBC’s Today with Jenna & Sheinelle, where he addressed why he passed on roles in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Seinfeld.

“I passed on it because it was a bad script,” the Tony winner and Grammy-nominated musician said of the 1994 comedy film. “What I didn’t see is what Jim [Carrey] saw, which was, ‘Can I do anything?’ They said, ‘Yeah.’ So he had total freedom. He took that script and he reinvented it. And that’s why it was so successful.” 

While the Carrey vehicle was largely panned by critics, it was a box office hit, spawning a cult following and a subsequent franchise, including a sequel, animated series and a made-for-TV standalone follow-up. (Funnily enough, Carrey and Grier worked prior to the film’s release on the sketch comedy show In Living Color, which ran from 1990 through 1994.)

Grier also noted his reason for passing on seminal sitcom Seinfeld was his assumption it wouldn’t be successful.

“I auditioned for George Costanza. And I read with Jerry [Seinfeld] and it was like, [imitating Seinfeld] ‘George, tell me about your day.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, this man, he can’t act. It’s not funny. This will never be a hit,’” he recalled of his thought process.

He jokingly concluded: “Well … wrong again! The bag was fumbled.”

The NBC show, famously billed to be about nothing, ran for nearly a decade from 1989 to 1998. Jason Alexander ultimately took on the role of the insecurity-riddled and neurotic Costanza.

However, Grier found his way back onto the network after In Living Color with St. Denis Medical, the hospital-set mockumentary currently airing its second season. Already renewed for Season 3, Grier stars as Ron, a jaded ER physician.