Jim Carrey: 'Scrooge transformed me'

Jim Carrey has claimed that his latest film mirrors his own journey out of depression.

The 47-year-old actor, who has admitted to taking prescription drugs to battle his mood disorder, said that starring as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol helped him find perspective in his own life.

Carrey told The Mirror: "Everybody loves a good transformational story - somebody who sees the light and finds out what's important in life. It was wonderful to get to the bottom of a character I've seen done a hundred different ways."

He also revealed that leading a healthy lifestyle and becoming stepfather to Jenny McCarthy's 6-year-old son Evan has assisted him in discovering "more light".

Carrey added: "I created tools to help my treatment and I went down a path with some amazing scientific minds who are using supplemental treatments for depression.

"I'm so happy to have a beautiful family and to be able to sit there with Evan showing him clips of the movie. I took him through the scary parts and told him the ghost was coming and he loved it."