Jamie Lee Curtis facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Jamie Lee Curtis
Curtis in 2018
Born	(1958-11-22) November 22, 1958 (age 66) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Education	Choate Rosemary Hall
Occupation	Actress producer author
Years active	1977–present
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Christopher Guest (m. 1984)
Children	2
Parents	Tony Curtis (father) Janet Leigh (mother)
Relatives	Kelly Curtis (sister) Allegra Curtis (half-sister)
Awards	Full list
Signature

Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22, 1958) is an American actress, producer, and author of children's books. She is well-known for her roles in horror films, where she is sometimes called a "scream queen," and also for her funny parts in comedies. As of 2023, her movies have earned over $2.5 billion around the world.

Jamie Lee Curtis has won many important awards. These include an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, an Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. She was also nominated for a Grammy Award.

She is the youngest daughter of famous actors Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis. She first appeared on TV in 1977 in a show called Quincy, M.E.. Her first movie role was Laurie Strode in the horror film Halloween (1978). This movie was very popular and helped her become known as a horror film star. She continued to star in other horror movies like The Fog, Prom Night, and Terror Train (all from 1980). She played Laurie Strode in six more Halloween movies, with the last one being Halloween Ends in 2022.

Beyond horror, Curtis has starred in many different types of movies. These include comedies like Trading Places (1983), for which she won a BAFTA Award, and A Fish Called Wanda (1988). She won a Golden Globe Award for her role in James Cameron's True Lies (1994). Her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared in movies like My Girl (1991), Freaky Friday (2003), and Knives Out (2019).

On television, Curtis won another Golden Globe Award for her role as Hannah Miller in the show Anything but Love (1989–1992). She also starred in the series Scream Queens (2015–2016). For her guest role in the series The Bear (2022–), she won an Emmy Award. Jamie Lee Curtis has written many children's books that have become best-sellers.

Early Life and Education
Acting Career Highlights
Other Work
Personal Life and Interests
Supporting Good Causes
Awards and Recognitions
See also

Early Life and Education

Curtis as a baby with her mother in 1960

Jamie Lee Curtis was born in Santa Monica, California, on November 22, 1958. Her parents were actors Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis. Her mother had European roots, and her father was Jewish, from Hungary. She has an older sister, actress Kelly Curtis, and four half-siblings from her father's other marriages.

Her parents divorced in 1962. Jamie Lee Curtis has mentioned that her father was not very involved in her life after the divorce. Her mother later married Robert Brandt, who helped raise her. Curtis went to schools like Harvard-Westlake School and Beverly Hills High School. She graduated in 1976 from Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut. In 1976, she started studying law at the University of the Pacific. However, she left after one semester to become an actress.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out in TV and Film (1977–1979)

(Right to left) Curtis with her mother Janet Leigh and sister Kelly Curtis in 1979

Jamie Lee Curtis first appeared on television in 1977 in an episode of Quincy, M.E.. She also had guest roles in other popular shows like Charlie's Angels and The Love Boat. She played Nurse Lt. Barbara Duran in the comedy series Operation Petticoat (1977–1978). This show was based on a 1959 movie that starred her father, Tony Curtis.

Her first movie was John Carpenter's 1978 horror film Halloween. She played the main character, Laurie Strode. The movie was a huge success and became a classic horror film. The producer, Debra Hill, chose Curtis because her mother, Janet Leigh, was famous for her role in the horror movie Psycho. Jamie Lee Curtis returned to the Halloween series many times, playing Laurie Strode in sequels like Halloween II (1981), Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998), and Halloween (2018). Her final appearance as Laurie Strode was in Halloween Ends (2022).

After Halloween became so popular, Curtis starred in several other horror films. This helped her become known as a "scream queen."

Becoming a Horror Star (1980–1982)

Her next movie after Halloween was The Fog (1980), also directed by John Carpenter. This film was popular at the box office and helped make Curtis a horror movie star. She then appeared in Prom Night and Terror Train, both released in 1980. These films were similar to Halloween in style. In these movies, Curtis often played the main character who survives while her friends are in danger.

In 1981, she starred in the Australian thriller Roadgames. That same year, she played Laurie Strode again in Halloween II. She also appeared in TV films like Death of a Model: The Dorothy Stratten Story.

Moving Beyond Horror (1983–1989)

Curtis at the 1989 Primetime Emmy Awards

Jamie Lee Curtis showed her talent in other types of movies, like the comedy Trading Places (1983). In this film, she played a kind character, which helped her move away from just being known for horror movies. The movie was a big hit, and she won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The studio at first didn't want to cast her because of her horror film background, but the director, John Landis, insisted.

In 1985, Curtis starred with John Travolta in the movie Perfect. She also played Annie Oakley in an episode of Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales & Legends. In 1988, she starred in the comedy A Fish Called Wanda, which became a fan favorite. For this role, she was nominated for a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award.

Her first main role on television was in the comedy series Anything but Love (1989–1992). She won a Golden Globe Award for her performance in this show.

Continued Success and Major Roles (1990–1999)

Curtis received good reviews for her role in the action thriller Blue Steel (1990). The next year, she appeared in My Girl, which was very successful. She also starred in the sequel, My Girl 2, in 1994. In 1992, she was in the romantic fantasy film Forever Young with Mel Gibson.

She won a Golden Globe Award for her work in the 1994 action-comedy film True Lies, directed by James Cameron. This movie was a big hit and one of the highest-earning films of 1994. Her performance also earned her a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award. She was nominated for another Golden Globe for her role in the TV movie The Heidi Chronicles (1995). In 1998, she received an Emmy Award nomination for the TV film Nicholas' Gift. That same year, Jamie Lee Curtis received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Later Career and Awards (2000–Present)

In 2003, Curtis starred with Lindsay Lohan in the Disney comedy film Freaky Friday. She received much praise for her acting in this movie and was nominated for another Golden Globe Award. She was also nominated for a Grammy Award for her audiobook, The Jamie Lee Curtis Audio Collection.

In 2007, Curtis returned to acting in Disney's film Beverly Hills Chihuahua. She also appeared in the comedy film You Again (2010). She had voice roles in animated films like The Little Engine That Could (2011).

From 2015 to 2016, Curtis had a main role in the TV series Scream Queens. For her performance, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Curtis at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival

In 2018, Curtis returned to a leading role as Laurie Strode in the horror film Halloween. This movie had a very successful opening weekend. In 2019, she appeared in the mystery film Knives Out, which received positive reviews and earned a lot of money worldwide.

In September 2021, she was honored with the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for her achievements over her career. She continued to play Laurie Strode in Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween Ends (2022). Halloween Ends was her last time playing Laurie Strode. On October 12, 2022, she had a special handprint ceremony at Grauman's Chinese Theater.

She played an IRS inspector in the comedy-drama action film Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). For this role, she won an Academy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. This was her first Academy Award win.

In 2023, Curtis was a guest star in the second season of the TV series The Bear. She won an Emmy Award for her role. She also starred as Madame Leota in Disney's Haunted Mansion.

In 2024, Jamie Lee Curtis was named a Disney Legend by The Walt Disney Company. She also appeared in the film Borderlands and The Last Showgirl.

Upcoming Projects

Jamie Lee Curtis is set to play Tess Coleman again in a sequel to Freaky Friday called Freakier Friday, which is expected in August 2025. She is also set to star in the film Ella McCay and is a producer for the film The Lost Bus.

Other Work

Children's Books

Jamie Lee Curtis has written many children's books with illustrator Laura Cornell. These books are published by HarperCollins Children's Books.

Curtis autographing a copy of her children's book in 2010

When I Was Little: A Four-Year Old's Memoir of Her Youth, 1993.
Tell Me Again About The Night I was Born, 1996.
Today I Feel Silly, and Other Moods That Make My Day, 1998; this book was on The New York Times best-seller list for 10 weeks.
Where Do Balloons Go?: An Uplifting Mystery, 2000.
I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem, 2002.
It's Hard to Be Five: Learning How to Work My Control Panel, 2004.
Is There Really a Human Race?, 2006.
Big Words for Little People, 2008.
My Friend Jay, 2009.
My Mommy Hung the Moon: A Love Story, 2010.
My Brave Year of Firsts, 2016.
This Is Me: A Story of Who We Are and Where We Came From, 2016.
Me, Myselfie & I: A Cautionary Tale, 2018.

Graphic Novel

In February 2022, it was announced that Curtis co-wrote a graphic novel called Mother Nature. This book is based on an upcoming film that Curtis will write and direct. The graphic novel was released in July 2023.

Inventions

In 1987, Jamie Lee Curtis created an invention for a special diaper. It had a waterproof pocket for wipes that could be taken out with one hand. She decided not to let her invention be sold until companies started making diapers that were better for the environment. The patent for this invention expired in 2007. She filed another patent related to disposable diapers in 2016, which will expire in 2036.

Blogging and Podcasts

Curtis wrote for The Huffington Post online newspaper from 2011 to 2017. She also launched a podcast series called Letters from Camp in 2020 and Good Friend with Jamie Lee Curtis in 2021.

Personal Life and Interests

Curtis at an event to support Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016

Jamie Lee Curtis married British-American filmmaker and actor Christopher Guest on December 18, 1984. She saw his picture in a magazine and told a friend she would marry him, which she did five months later. They have two adopted daughters, Annie and Ruby. Curtis is also the godmother to actor Jake Gyllenhaal.

When her husband's father passed away in 1996, Christopher Guest inherited the title of Baron Haden-Guest. This means Jamie Lee Curtis is technically a baroness, styled as The Lady Haden-Guest. However, she does not use this title, saying it "has nothing to do with me."

She is good friends with actress Sigourney Weaver. Jamie Lee Curtis has said she has never watched Weaver's film Alien (1979) all the way through because it was too scary for her.

Curtis is a big fan of the video game World of Warcraft and the manga One Piece. She has even worn disguises to attend events like Comic-Con without being recognized.

In 2021, when she received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, she said, "I feel so alive, like I'm this 14-year-old person just beginning their life. That's how I wake up every day with that sort of joy and purpose. I'm just beginning my work."

Supporting Good Causes

Jamie Lee Curtis is involved in many charitable activities. In 1990, she and her father, Tony, became more interested in their Hungarian Jewish background. They helped pay for the rebuilding of the "Great Synagogue" in Budapest, Hungary, which was damaged during World War II. She also helped fix up the synagogue in Mátészalka where her grandparents used to worship.

Curtis has been a guest of honor at events for Women in Recovery, a group that helps women in need. She is also very involved with the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, hosting their "Dream Halloween" event every year.

She plays a leadership role for Children's Hospital Los Angeles. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she started an organization called "My Hand in Yours." This group aims to raise money for the hospital and provide comfort items to people during difficult times. All the money from items sold goes to help critically ill and injured children.

In October 2023, The Advocate honored Curtis with the Advocate of the Year award. As a mother to a transgender daughter, she spoke out against laws that are unfair to LGBTQ+ people, saying, "Freedom is the goal." In January 2025, she donated $1 million to help with relief efforts for the Los Angeles wildfires.

Awards and Recognitions