Academy Award-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis is preparing for her final act — and she wants it to be on her own terms.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, the 67-year-old star opened up about aging in Hollywood and why she’s been slowly preparing to walk away from the spotlight. Her decision, she says, is deeply personal — and rooted in watching what happened to her famous parents, Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis.
“I witnessed my parents lose the very thing that gave them their fame and their life and their livelihood, when the industry rejected them at a certain age,” Jamie Lee shared. “I watched them reach incredible success and then have it slowly erode to where it was gone. And that’s very painful.”
Rather than wait for Hollywood to decide she’s no longer relevant, Jamie Lee is choosing to step back gradually. “I have been self-retiring for 30 years,” she explained. “I’ve been prepping to get out so that I don’t have to suffer the same as my family did. I want to leave the party before I’m no longer invited.”
Jamie Lee’s career began in 1978 with her breakout role in “Halloween.” Over the years, she’s starred in fan favorites like “Trading Places,” “True Lies,” and “A Fish Called Wanda.” In 2023, she finally took home an Oscar for her supporting role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” solidifying her status as Hollywood royalty.
And of course, she is Hollywood royalty — the daughter of two screen legends. Her mother, Janet Leigh, is best remembered for her chilling role in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho.” Her father, Tony Curtis, starred in more than 150 films, including “Some Like It Hot” and “The Defiant Ones.” Both earned Academy Award nominations during their careers.
Though Jamie Lee has spoken openly about the privilege of her upbringing, she’s also pushed back against the harsh criticisms of “nepo babies.” In a 2022 Instagram post, she called herself “an OG Nepo Baby” and addressed the conversation head-on.
“I’ve never understood, nor will I, what qualities got me hired that day,” she wrote, referring to her first role. “But… there’s not a day in my professional life that goes by without my being reminded that I am the daughter of movie stars.”
She added, “I’ve tried to bring integrity and professionalism and love and community and art to my work. I am not alone. There are many of us. Dedicated to our craft. Proud of our lineage. Strong in our belief in our right to exist.”
It’s clear that Jamie Lee Curtis has given her heart to acting — and to honoring her family’s legacy. But in true Curtis fashion, she’s also not afraid to bow out with grace and purpose, before the curtain is forced to fall.