Jamie Lee Curtis: Foresight, Career Milestones, and Personal Reflections
Jamie Lee Curtis had an uncanny premonition about her role in “The Bear” long before she landed the part of Donna Berzatto, the troubled matriarch of the central restaurant-owning siblings. While engrossed in the first season, Curtis felt an inexplicable connection to the character. “I just knew I was going to play her,” she recounts, almost as if it were destiny. True to her intuition, the call came. “My agent said, ‘You’ve been offered a part on The Bear,’” Curtis recalls. Instantly, she reached out to the show’s creator, Christopher Storer. “I asked about her hair, and he sent me a picture of Monica Vitti. I asked about her nails, and he sent me a picture of the Desperate Housewives of New York.” Now, in the midst of filming the eagerly awaited sequel to “Freaky Friday,” Curtis shares how legendary actor Peter Falk catapulted her to fame, her most impactful advice, and why “Lip Sync Battle” missed a golden opportunity by not featuring her.
Early Career and Accidental Beginnings
The Job That Got Me Started
Jamie Lee Curtis’s journey into acting was serendipitous. Initially, she had no plans to become an actor; she aspired to be a police officer. Her unexpected foray into acting began with a minor role on an episode of “Columbo,” where she played a grumpy waitress. “Columbo comes into a restaurant with his coat all askew and his hair all crazy, and he’s holding a donut. The waitress says, ‘You can’t eat that here.’ And he says, ‘OK,’ and hands her the donut. She says, ‘Have you decided yet?’ And he goes, ‘Yes, I’ll have a donut.’” This role unexpectedly led to her first brush with fame when Peter Falk showcased the clip on “The Tonight Show.” “A month later, I’m walking down the street, and somebody says, ‘Hey, I saw you on The Tonight Show.’” This brief moment set the stage for a remarkable career in Hollywood.
The Power of Presence: My First TV Lesson
Jamie’s first lesson in the TV industry was about the importance of punctuality. “Show up early,” she emphasizes. At her production company, Comet, they have a strict rule: be on Zoom calls 15 minutes early. “If it’s scheduled for 10 am, at 9:45 am, we’re on, and we do 15 minutes together before anybody else shows up. It’s my rule.” This simple yet powerful practice underscores Jamie’s commitment to professionalism and preparation.
Insights and Personal Reflections
The Best Advice I Ever Received
Jamie Lee Curtis has been sober for 25 years, and through her journey, she’s learned a crucial lesson about advice: it can often be a form of hostility. “Advice is somehow saying to someone, ‘I have a better idea than you.’” This realization transformed her approach to offering guidance. Instead of unsolicited advice, she provides suggestions. “My new favorite is, ‘Can I give you feedback?’” While she acknowledges this still carries some ego, it’s a more respectful way to share insights.
The Shows That Make Me Cry
Curtis admits she’s highly sensitive and easily moved by the human experience. “Everything makes me cry. I’m just not a trained person. To say you’re untrained doesn’t mean you’re not thoughtful. I’m super thoughtful. I do my homework. I listen to music and watch movies and wear perfumes of the characters I’m playing. Donna’s is Shalimar, by the way.” She believes her emotional sensitivity, her “frequency receptors,” make her deeply attuned to life’s nuances, causing her to cry often.
Memorable Roles and Personal Connections
The Most Fun I’ve Had On Set
One of Jamie’s most enjoyable experiences on set was filming the original “Freaky Friday.” “I found out I was going to do the first Freaky Friday on a Thursday, and I was shooting Monday. I had a 15-year-old and a 5-year-old at home, and I was playing a 15-year-old and a 45-year-old in the movie.” The whirlwind nature of the project forced her to let go and immerse herself fully in the roles, making the experience both challenging and exhilarating.
My Most Quoted Role
One of Jamie’s most quoted lines comes from “Freaky Friday”: “Make good choices.” Remarkably, this was the only line she ever improvised, and it became emblematic of the film. In “The Bear,” her character Donna has a poignant line: “I make things beautiful for them. No one makes anything beautiful for me.” This sentiment of feeling unappreciated despite significant efforts resonates deeply with many viewers.
The Character That’s Most Like Me
Curtis sees a bit of herself in Tess from “Freaky Friday.” “I’m sort of like her a little bit. I’m a weirdo.” She also relates to parts of every character she’s portrayed. In “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” she connects with Deirdre Beaubeirdre. “I’ve met women who’ve been overlooked. I’ve met women who use their job for power. It’s the only power they get. Nowhere else in the world do they get any recognition.”
Personal Indulgences and Hobbies
My Guilty Pleasure
Jamie and her husband of 40 years enjoy watching good shows together. One of their favorites was “True Detective: Night Country,” starring her friend Jodie Foster. However, her true guilty pleasure is a sweet treat she discovered while filming in a closed Walgreens: Bit-O-Honey candy. “It’s probably awful for you, but I bought a few boxes. Talk about a guilty pleasure.”
My Karaoke Playlist
While Jamie admits she cannot sing, she excels at lip-syncing. “Fricking Lip Sync Battle, you missed your shot, baby, because I’ve been lip-syncing forever because I can’t sing.” She recalls a memorable moment with Lindsay Lohan on the set of “Freaky Friday”: “We had a cassette player in the car, and we were learning the Clipse rap from the Justin Timberlake song ‘Like I Love You.’” This fun experience even led to her rapping on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What role made Jamie Lee Curtis famous?
Jamie Lee Curtis gained widespread recognition from her role in “Columbo,” which was later highlighted by Peter Falk on “The Tonight Show.”
What advice does Jamie Lee Curtis give about offering advice?
Curtis believes that unsolicited advice can be a form of hostility and prefers to offer suggestions or ask, “Can I give you feedback?”
How does Jamie Lee Curtis prepare for her roles?
Curtis prepares meticulously by listening to music, watching movies, and even wearing perfumes that she associates with her characters.
What is Jamie Lee Curtis’s guilty pleasure?
Her guilty pleasure is Bit-O-Honey candy, which she discovered while filming in a closed Walgreens.
How does Jamie Lee Curtis approach her work ethic?
Curtis emphasizes punctuality and insists on being early for meetings, a practice she upholds at her production company, Comet.
Conclusion
Jamie Lee Curtis’s career is a testament to serendipitous beginnings, professional discipline, and emotional sensitivity. From her accidental start in acting to her thoughtful approach to advice and preparation, she has navigated her journey with grace and authenticity. Her memorable roles, personal indulgences, and heartfelt reflections offer a compelling glimpse into the life of an actress who continues to resonate deeply with her audience. Whether through her iconic lines, her meticulous character preparation, or her candid personal insights, Curtis remains a beloved figure in the entertainment industry.
