Jamie Lee Curtis bio, young, age, net worth, husband, children, daughter, Oscar 2024

Biography of Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie Lee Curtis is an American actress and author who earned the unofficial title of "Scream Queen" after her roles in horror films such as "Halloween," "Terror Train," and "The Fog". She has been nominated for several prestigious film awards, winning two Saturn Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. She also received two Golden Globe Awards, and in 2023, she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in the comedy "Everything Everywhere All at Once".

Childhood, Adolescence, Family

Jamie was born in the fall of 1958 in the American city of dreams, Los Angeles. Her parents were Hollywood actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, best known for their roles in films such as "Houdini," in which they appeared together, "Some Like It Hot," and "Psycho." Jamie has Jewish roots from her father's side and Danish, Scottish, Irish, and German from her mother's.

Jamie Lee Curtis with her parents and older sister

Her older sister Kelly also became an actress, as did her half-sister Allegra. In addition to Allegra, Tony had other children from previous marriages – Alexandra, Benjamin, and Nicholas, who passed away due to a drug overdose.

Speaking about her parents, Lee Curtis noted that she felt differently about her mother and father:

I was not raised by a sophisticated and luxurious woman. My mother was kind of a country girl. Yet, I am a woman from a privileged family. When you have a famous father, you always feel less significant and strive with all your might to find the right to your own existence in this world.

Jamie grew up as a well-behaved girl: she was calm and sensible, did not cause her parents any concern over academic performance, and did not protest when her birthday, sometimes coinciding with Thanksgiving, was celebrated a month earlier.

At four years old, she nearly lost her biological father. Her parents divorced, the daughters stayed with their mother, and it seemed as though their father had forgotten about their existence.

Lee Curtis successfully graduated from Westlake School for Girls, where she was a cheerleader, then attended the prestigious Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut, and subsequently enrolled in the School of Social Work at University of the Pacific.

Jamie Lee Curtis in her youth (far right)

Acting Career

After one semester of college, Jamie agreed to her friend's persuasion and auditioned, hoping to land the role of teenage detective Nancy Drew. She wasn't cast in the film, but she had already decided that she would definitely become an actress. Soon after, following several auditions, she received minor roles in the series "Quincy, M.E." and "Columbo."

Remembering the latter, the actress shared:

I was 19, working on contract. That meant if they told you to do something, you went and did it. And I was happy. I remember shooting a scene in «Columbo» where I played a snarky waitress in a diner. A month later, a friend approached me and said she'd seen me on a late-night show—Peter Falk had been a guest and brought along a clip featuring me. I played a snarky waitress. In the script, I walked up to Columbo, who was eating a donut, looked at him reproachfully, and said, «You can't eat that here"—he handed me the donut, and then I walked away, but when I came back to take his order, he ordered a donut.

Up-and-coming actress Jamie Lee Curtis was noticed by John Carpenter, who was preparing to shoot the horror film "Halloween" (1978). This low-budget movie about the psychopath Michael Myers terrorizing a small town, shot in just three weeks, offered no guarantees of success.

Jamie Lee Curtis in the movie 'Halloween'

Nonetheless, Lee Curtis, who was paid only $8,000 for her role, was so convincing in her first leading role that the film subsequently became a cult classic, and Carpenter invited her to his next thriller, "The Fog" (1980), where she worked alongside her mother.

The actress's next leading role was as Alana Maxwell in "Terror Train." Four consecutive horror films, if you count the second part of "Halloween," left an indelible impression—Lee Curtis was dubbed the "scream queen."

But in the 1980s, the actress proved to the audience and critics that her versatile talent extended beyond thrillers and horror to comedy and drama. Her portrayal of the kind-hearted sex worker Ophelia in the comedy "Trading Places" (1983) overshadowed the performances of comedians Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd, and in the biographical drama "Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story" (1981), Jamie convincingly portrayed the Playboy model murdered by her own husband.

Jamie Lee Curtis in the movie 'Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story'

The actress's new wave of success hit in the late 1980s. She played the seductive thief Wanda Gershwitz in the hit comedy "A Fish Called Wanda," then starred in the sitcom "Anything But Love," winning her first Golden Globe for her role as Hannah Miller.

Jamie Lee Curtis in the movie 'A Fish Called Wanda'

Her second Golden Globe came after her brilliant performance in the adventure film "True Lies" (1994) by James Cameron. Her on-screen husband was skillfully played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The story of a bored housewife who discovers her husband is a secret agent was a worldwide hit, earning over $365 million at the box office.

Jamie Lee Curtis in the movie 'True Lies'

At the end of the 90s, producers revisited "Halloween," and in 1998 released the third part of the franchise, "Halloween H20: 20 Years Later." John Carpenter didn't direct, but Jamie Lee Curtis returned as Laurie Strode.

Jamie Lee Curtis in the movie 'Halloween H20: 20 Years Later'

In 2002, the fourth part, "Halloween: Resurrection," directed by Rick Rosenthal, was released. Tired of the Michael Myers story, Jamie agreed to participate on one condition: that she wouldn't be bothered if another sequel was ever made. The film received a cold reception from audiences and poor reviews.

Jamie Lee Curtis in the movie 'Halloween: Resurrection'

In 2003, Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan made a brilliant duo in the comedy "Freaky Friday." They played a mother and daughter who lived at odds and couldn't find common ground until one day they inexplicably switched bodies.

Freaky Friday French Fries Scene

At the end of 2005, Jamie announced she was leaving the film industry to focus on her family and writing children's books with illustrator Laura Cornell. But after a few years, the actress returned to the screen.

Why Jamie Lee Curtis Writes Children’s Books

In 2010, she starred alongside Sigourney Weaver in the comedy "You Again," and later joined the cast of the comedy series "New Girl." She then returned to the horror genre, receiving the lead role of university dean Cathy Munsch in the series "Scream Queens." The title gave a nod to the horror film actresses' personas, one of which was, of course, Curtis. Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Abigail Breslin, and Lea Michele also worked on the project with Jamie.

Jamie Lee Curtis in the series 'Scream Queens'

At that time, she starred in the drama based on true events called "Spare Parts," and in 2018, delighted fans by returning to the big screen as Laurie Strode, who once again combated the villain Michael Myers in "Halloween," despite a promise made 16 years earlier not to return to the role.

The 2018 "Halloween" started a new trilogy. The next part of the franchise, "Halloween Kills" (2021), was even more terrifying and bloody. The final part, "Halloween Ends," was released in 2022. All three films were directed by David Gordon Green.

Jamie Lee Curtis in the movie 'Halloween Ends'

Speaking in an interview about the key to successful horror film acting, what she fears herself, and how she relates to her character, the actress noted:

My success as a horror actress is because I'm easily frightened. Very easily. Look at old photos of me with my celebrity parents—you'll see sheer terror in my eyes. My reaction to any nightmarish event, to any fear, is real. In all the films, I'm not faking that feeling. But at the same time, if I'm about to face something terrible, I'm the one crawling to the front row.

About the similarities between herself and her character, she said:

I think I'm a loner. And so is Laurie. She was an intellectual, always deep in thought, never kissed a boy, and then life turned her into a pinball, endlessly bouncing from wall to wall. She was doomed to solitude, to fruitless attempts to connect with others. I share that feeling.

In 2021, Jamie added to her filmography the science fiction action comedy "Everything Everywhere All at Once," where she brilliantly portrayed IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdra. The film was nominated for several American film awards and won seven Oscars, including Best Supporting Actress for Lee Curtis.

Jamie Lee Curtis Wins Best Supporting Actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once

Moreover, Jamie played the haughty intellectual Linda in the detective dramedy "Knives Out." The role of the renowned detective Benoit Blanc went to Daniel Craig. He had to determine whether the death of the famous crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) was a suicide.

Jamie Lee Curtis in the movie 'Knives Out'

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and critics immediately saw it as a political commentary on the state of contemporary America. Curtis emphasized:

...the entire film is a beautiful indictment of that very one percent of the wealthy. No question about it. And at the heart of the film is Ana de Armas» character, who represents the embodiment of pure love. So she's also kind of one percent—she's made entirely of pure love! So that's what the film is about for me. I was drawn to the script, it was incredible. And honestly, we rarely get scripts this good, but even more rarely do we get scripts where they tell you right away that Daniel Craig is signed on for the film.

Jamie Lee Curtis's Personal Life

The actress chose her husband herself: once and for all. It was actor, director, screenwriter, and composer Christopher Guest, born in 1948, who is also a baron and member of the House of Lords.

Jamie Lee Curtis Reveals Her Thoughts When She First Saw Her Husband

According to her friend, Jamie first saw him in a photograph, fell in love at first sight, and declared that she would marry "that guy." As she said, so she did. Within six months, he became the lawful husband of the determined actress. The couple was unable to have biological children, so they decided to adopt a girl named Annie, born in 1986, and a boy named Thomas born in 1996. Much later, Curtis announced that Thomas is transgender, so they have another daughter named Ruby.

Jamie Lee Curtis with her husband and children

The family lives in a prestigious area of Los Angeles. Jamie is friends with Sigourney Weaver, and she is also the godmother of Hollywood actor Jake Gyllenhaal.

Those who know Curtis well describe her as a wonderful mother and wife, a caring and hospitable homemaker. She rarely attends parties, preferring solitude and quiet.

Jamie Lee Curtis Now

Back in 2018, the actress admitted that she had developed an addiction to opioids, which her doctor had prescribed as a pain reliever after eyelid plastic surgery. At the beginning of 2024, Jamie gave a very candid interview detailing how she fought her addiction and how she barely held on:

“I was ahead of the curve of the opiate epidemicy. “I had a 10-year run, stealing, conniving. No one knew. No one. I’m breaking the cycle that has basically destroyed the lives of generations in my family. Getting sober remains my single greatest accomplishment… bigger than my husband, bigger than both of my children and bigger than any work, success, failure. Anything. In recovery meetings, anyone who brings up opiates, the entire room will turn and look at me, because I’ll be like, ‘Oh here, talk to me. I’m the opiate girl».

Fortunately, all this is in the past, and the actress is full of energy and plans for the future. In 2023, she appeared in the drama "The Bear" and the Disney fantasy "Haunted Mansion." In 2024, the actress starred in the adventure action film by Eli Roth "Borderlands". Jamie plays a supporting role, but as always, it's vibrant, with the lead character played by Cate Blanchett.

Interesting Facts

During the filming of "Knives Out," Jamie Lee Curtis constantly amazed her colleagues with her culinary skills. According to Don Johnson, the actress cooked them potato soup and baked cookies. Jamie herself said that she just distanced herself from the set and went to the kitchen of the mansion's owner where the movie was filmed: “...we became friends. I made croutons for her son, he had a knee surgery, came back from college, and was doing rehab at home - he was lying in a room upstairs, listening to 175 people 'looting' his family home. So, I made a homemade salad and croutons one day. As it turned out, the smell of the croutons reached not only his room but throughout the entire set, so I had to keep making them."

With her characteristic sense of humor, Jamie notes that the irony of her film career is that she has gained the status of a "holiday" actress. Jamie's repertoire includes movies about Halloween, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. She jokes that the only holiday left uncovered is Valentine's Day and hopes to find a suitable script.

Everything Jamie Lee Curtis does, she does either wonderfully or brilliantly. This is what her best friend Sigourney Weaver says about her. It seems critics and readers agree: the actress is also a talented writer whose books are in high demand. Her first book was "When I Was Little: A Four-Year-Old's Memoir of Her Youth," published in 1993. After she and her husband adopted Annie, Lee Curtis wrote "Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born," followed by other works such as "Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day," "Is There Really a Human Race?," "My Brave Year of Firsts," and more.