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Jamie Lee Curtis

Born: 1958

Biography

Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22, 1958) is an American actress, producer, and children's author. Known for her performances in the horror and slasher genres, she is regarded as a scream queen, in addition to roles in comedies. Curtis has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA, two Golden Globes, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, as well as nominations for an Emmy and a Grammy. Curtis came to prominence with the ABC sitcom Operation Petticoat (1977–1978). She made her feature film debut playing Laurie Strode in John Carpenter's slasher film Halloween (1978), which established her as a scream queen and led to a string of parts in horror films such as The Fog, Prom Night, Terror Train (all 1980), and Roadgames (1981). She reprised the role of Laurie in the Halloween franchise, until 2022. Curtis's film work spans many genres outside of horror, including the comedies Trading Places (1983), for which she won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress, and A Fish Called Wanda (1988), for which she received a nomination for the BAFTA for Best Actress. Her role as a workout instructor in the film Perfect (1985) earned her a reputation as a sex symbol. She won a Golden Globe Award for her portrayal of Helen Tasker in James Cameron's True Lies (1994). Her other notable film credits include Freaky Friday (2003) and Knives Out (2019). Her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1998. As of 2021, her films have grossed over $2.3 billion at the box office. Curtis received a Golden Globe and a People's Choice Award for her portrayal of Hannah Miller on ABC's Anything But Love (1989–1992), and earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for the television film Nicholas' Gift (1998). She also starred as Cathy Munsch on the Fox series Scream Queens (2015–16), for which she received her seventh Golden Globe nomination. Curtis has written numerous children's books, including Today I Feel Silly, and Other Moods That Make My Day (1998), which made The New York Times's best-seller list. Curtis is a daughter of actors Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis. She is married to British-American filmmaker Christopher Guest, with whom she has two adopted children. Her marriage to Guest, who holds the British title of 5th Baron Haden-Guest, makes her a baroness who is entitled to use the name "The Right Honourable The Lady Haden-Guest", though she opts not to use it.
Known For Acting
Gender Female
Place of Birth Los Angeles, California, USA

Resources

Movies

A Fish Called Wanda

Wanda Gershwitz in A Fish Called Wanda

The Fog

Elizabeth Solley in The Fog

Halloween

Laurie Strode in Halloween

Trading Places

Ophelia in Trading Places

Forever Young

Claire Cooper in Forever Young

Freaky Friday

Tess Coleman in Freaky Friday

The Tailor of Panama

Louisa Pendel in The Tailor of Panama

My Girl

Shelly DeVoto in My Girl

Halloween II

Laurie Strode in Halloween II

My Girl 2

Shelly Sultenfuss in My Girl 2

Halloween: Resurrection

Laurie Strode in Halloween: Resurrection

Drowning Mona

Rona Mace in Drowning Mona

Fierce Creatures

Willa Weston in Fierce Creatures

Virus

Kelly Foster in Virus

Blue Steel

Megan Turner in Blue Steel

Christmas with the Kranks

Nora Krank in Christmas with the Kranks

Terror Train

Alana Maxwell in Terror Train

Mother's Boys

Judith 'Jude' Madigan in Mother's Boys

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

Aunt Viv in Beverly Hills Chihuahua

Prom Night

Kimberly Hammond in Prom Night

True Lies

Helen Tasker in True Lies

Roadgames

Pamela 'Hitch' Rushworth in Roadgames

The Haunted History of Halloween

Self in The Haunted History of Halloween

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys

Queen Camilla (voice) in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys

You Again

Gail in You Again

The Heidi Chronicles

Heidi Holland in The Heidi Chronicles

John Carpenter: The Man and His Movies

Self in John Carpenter: The Man and His Movies

Dominick and Eugene

Jennifer Reston in Dominick and Eugene

Perfect

Jessie Wilson in Perfect

House Arrest

Janet Beindorf in House Arrest

Queens Logic

Grace in Queens Logic

A Man in Love

Susan Elliott in A Man in Love

The Little Engine That Could

Beverly (voice) in The Little Engine That Could

Amazing Grace and Chuck

Lynn Taylor in Amazing Grace and Chuck

Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story

Dorothy Stratten in Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story

Grandview, U.S.A.

Michelle 'Mike' Cody in Grandview, U.S.A.

Love Letters

Anna Winter in Love Letters

8

Sandy Stier in 8

Video Games Live: Level 2

Self in Video Games Live: Level 2

Halloween: Unmasked

Self in Halloween: Unmasked

Nicholas’ Gift

Maggie Green in Nicholas’ Gift

Veronica Mars

Gayle Buckley in Veronica Mars

Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom

Self in Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom

The Kid & I

Jamie Lee Curtis in The Kid & I

As Summers Die

Whitsey Loftin in As Summers Die

Spare Parts

Principal in Spare Parts

Dirt! The Movie

Self in Dirt! The Movie

Coming Soon

Herself in Coming Soon

Money on the Side

Michelle Jamison in Money on the Side

Homegrown

Sierra Kahan in Homegrown

78/52

Self in 78/52

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later

Laurie Strode / Keri Tate in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later

Cindy Sherman: Nobody's Here But Me

Narrator (voice) in Cindy Sherman: Nobody's Here But Me

Halloween

Laurie Strode in Halloween

She's in the Army Now

Pvt. Rita Jennings in She's in the Army Now

Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song

Narrator (voice) in Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song

Halloween: 25 Years of Terror

Self in Halloween: 25 Years of Terror

The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful

Self in The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful

An Acceptable Loss

Rachel Burke in An Acceptable Loss

Knives Out

Linda Drysdale in Knives Out

The Return of Spinal Tap

Self (TV version) in The Return of Spinal Tap

John Cleese's First Farewell Performance

Self in John Cleese's First Farewell Performance

Halloween Kills

Laurie Strode in Halloween Kills

Halloween Ends

Laurie Strode in Halloween Ends

Fear on Film: Inside 'The Fog'

Self in Fear on Film: Inside 'The Fog'

Not Quite Hollywood

Self in Not Quite Hollywood

Daddy and Them

Elaine Bowen in Daddy and Them

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Deirdre Beaubeirdre in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Halloween III: Season of the Witch

Curfew Announcer / Telephone Operator (voice) (uncredited) in Halloween III: Season of the Witch

Celebrity Nude Revue: Easy 80's Volume 1

Self (archive footage) in Celebrity Nude Revue: Easy 80's Volume 1

Escape from New York

Narrator / Prison Recording Voice (uncredited) in Escape from New York

In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover

Self in In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover

Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special

Self (uncredited) in Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special

Halloween: The Inside Story

Self in Halloween: The Inside Story

Borderlands

Dr. Patricia Tannis in Borderlands

Sesame Street All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!

Self (archive footage) in Sesame Street All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!

Senior Entourage

Jamie in Senior Entourage

Jamie Lee Curtis: Hollywood Call of Freedom

Self (archive) in Jamie Lee Curtis: Hollywood Call of Freedom

Escape from L.A.

Female Narrator (uncredited) in Escape from L.A.

Spychosis

Jamie in Spychosis

Blood Is Thicker Than Water: The Making of Halloween H20

Self in Blood Is Thicker Than Water: The Making of Halloween H20

Annie Oakley

Annie Oakley in Annie Oakley

Haunted Mansion

Madame Leota in Haunted Mansion

The Night She Came Home!!

Self in The Night She Came Home!!

Halloween in Hollywood

Self in Halloween in Hollywood

Terror in the Aisles

Laurie Strode (archive footage) in Terror in the Aisles

Freaky Friday 2

Tess Coleman in Freaky Friday 2

The American Nightmare

Self in The American Nightmare

Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest

Self / Laurie Strode in Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest

Back in Haddonfield: Making Halloween

Self in Back in Haddonfield: Making Halloween

The Original Scream Queen

Self in The Original Scream Queen

Journey of the Mask

Self in Journey of the Mask

The Legacy of Halloween

Self in The Legacy of Halloween

Haddonfield's Open Wounds

Self in Haddonfield's Open Wounds

The Kill Team

Self in The Kill Team

Strode Family Values

Self in Strode Family Values

1978 Transformations

Self in 1978 Transformations

The Power of FEAR

Self in The Power of FEAR

Final Girl

Self in Final Girl

No Place like Haddonfield

Self in No Place like Haddonfield

Ending Halloween

Self in Ending Halloween

A Different Threat

Self in A Different Threat

The Visions of Terror

Self in The Visions of Terror

Hollywood Trailblazer: The Debra Hill Story

in Hollywood Trailblazer: The Debra Hill Story

Ella McCay

in Ella McCay

Activia Kiss It Better Edit

in Activia Kiss It Better Edit

The Last Showgirl

in The Last Showgirl

Dinner Party Diaries with José Andrés

Self in Dinner Party Diaries with José Andrés

Almost Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Everything Everywhere All at Once

in Almost Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Everything Everywhere All at Once

Halloween Reborn

Laurie Strode in Halloween Reborn

The Horrors of Hamilton High: The Making of Prom Night

Self (archive footage) in The Horrors of Hamilton High: The Making of Prom Night

TV Shows

The Love Boat

Linda in The Love Boat

The View

Self in The View

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Anything But Love

Hannah Miller in Anything But Love

The Oscars

Self in The Oscars

The Drew Carey Show

Sioux in The Drew Carey Show

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Self in The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Columbo

Waitress in Columbo

Today

Self in Today

The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries

in The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries

The Early Show

Self in The Early Show

Charlie's Angels

Linda Frye in Charlie's Angels

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Self - Guest in Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Mike's Super Short Show

in Mike's Super Short Show

The Megan Mullally Show

in The Megan Mullally Show

The Frank Skinner Show

Self in The Frank Skinner Show

Revealed with Jules Asner

in Revealed with Jules Asner

E! True Hollywood Story

in E! True Hollywood Story

The Bonnie Hunt Show

in The Bonnie Hunt Show

New Girl

Joan Day in New Girl

Scream Queens

Dean Cathy Munsch in Scream Queens

Wogan

Self in Wogan

The Reichen Show

Self - Guest in The Reichen Show

The Rosie O'Donnell Show

Self - Guest in The Rosie O'Donnell Show

Pigs Next Door

Clara in Pigs Next Door

The Graham Norton Show

Self in The Graham Norton Show

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

Jen Burton in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

Archer

Peregrine Bruchstein (voice) in Archer

MTV Movie & TV Awards

Self in MTV Movie & TV Awards

Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts

Self in Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts

The View

Self - Guest in The View

Saturday Night Live

Self - Host in Saturday Night Live

The Movies That Made Us

Self (Archival Footage) in The Movies That Made Us

NCIS

Samantha Ryan in NCIS

Eli Roth's History of Horror

Self in Eli Roth's History of Horror

El hormiguero

Self - Guest in El hormiguero

The Masked Singer

Special Message (video) in The Masked Singer

Arnold

Self in Arnold

The Bear

Donna Berzatto in The Bear

Intimate Portrait

Self in Intimate Portrait

The Late Late Show with James Corden

Self - Guest in The Late Late Show with James Corden

Leute heute

Self in Leute heute

Kay Scarpetta

Dorothy in Kay Scarpetta

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Self in Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

Self in Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

The Kelly Clarkson Show

Self in The Kelly Clarkson Show

Honest Trailers

Self (archive footage) in Honest Trailers

The Oscars

Self - Presenter in The Oscars

Tall Tales & Legends

Annie Oakley in Tall Tales & Legends