By: debbie lynn elias
On meeting Jamie Lee Curtis, one is immediately struck by her energy, her joy, her candor and her excitement. No wallflower, she hits you with a strong voice and dazzling smile bearing a genuineness and sincerity that immediately puts one at ease, making you feel like youfve been friends for years. And obviously, this is how most of the world does feel about Jamie Lee Curtis, thanks in large part to her job with the Dannon Company as spokesperson for Activia. “To me itfs all about relate-ability. The idea that I do something where people come up to me anywhere I am in the world and they go, eThank you. Thank you for Activia. It has changed my life.f And I know what theyfre telling me. Theyfre telling me that the product that I endorse has helped them. Now, Ifm not a doctor. But I actually feel the way a doctor gets thanked by a patient. And I get it everyday.”
In Los Angeles to promote her upcoming movie YOU AGAIN, Curtis had just returned from vacation. “I was on a plane this morning. I landed at noon. Got home, threw on these clothes and came here. I was in Idaho with hiking boots. I went all over Idaho, driving big trucks.” With uncontainable excitement, she regaled the events of the past days by playing recordings on her iPhone, one from an average woman who just walked up to her at Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho, thanking her for Activia. Jumping up on a chair and holding her iPhone high overhead, even more excitedly, Curtis continues, “I have one [recording] from a man. You think itfs just women? You think itfs just women? Listen to this.” With an ever widening smile and look of gleeful awe, we hear testimony from Sheldon Slate.
“All I can tell you is that Ifve been in a lot of movies. Ifm the daughter of very famous people. Ifm married to a very famous guy. I do a lot of things. Nothing else in my life, nothing else gets people coming up to me saying eYoufve changed my life. Because of you and that product, it is off the charts, my life is different.f Now if you had told me 3 years ago when I started doing advertisements for them that that was going to be the reality of my life, that I would be in airports and people would come up and take my hand and thank me, I wouldnft have believed it. You just have to know that youfre gonna wake up in the morning and something is going to happen.”
For Curtis, something has always “happened.” Born in 1958 to Hollywood royalty, Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, Curtis spent the bulk of her life being raised by her mother and was no stranger to the ups and downs of Hollywood. After bouncing among several schools, she ultimately graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall before returning to California where in 1978, she ultimately ended up on the silver screen. Quickly earning the title of “Scream Queen” thanks to her chilling performances in horror classics such as HALLOWEEN, THE FOG, PROM NIGHT and TERROR TRAIN, in 1983 Curtis made the leap to comedy with TRADING PLACES, solidifying her iconic comedic status in 1988 with A FISH CALLED WANDA. The icing on the cake came with a Golden Globe winning turn in 1994’s TRUE LIES opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger. Along the way, Curtis also successfully forayed into television with sitcoms like “Anything But Love” and “Operation Petticoat” along with a myriad of guest appearances on other shows.
Not one to be idle, Curtis began writing childrenfs books in the early 1990’s. Her latest book, her ninth, “My Mommy Hung the Moon”, released on September 7, 2010 through Harper Collins.
Married to Christopher Guest since 1984, the couple have two children. And despite balancing her many varied interests, careers and philanthropic works, her family is her number one priority. “I do a lot of things. Ifm lucky. I get up. I have a lot of energy. I have as great work ethic. My mom, I think, really gave me a great work ethic. 5:00 a.m. Ifm up doing stuff everyday. And when you right a book, it comes out two years later, so itfs not as if Ifm writing everyday. When a book comes into its finishing stages, I do that. I am very involved in my sonfs school. I do much charity work as I can. As much as my family life will allow me. But I do believe that charity beings at home and I think the more we focus on our families, the better. Somebody asked me the other day, am I going to be at Mariafs [Shriver] big conference; her last womenfs conference. I said “no” because Ifm gonna be at [her son] Tommyfs event. And thatfs not a eOh youfre a good girl, Jamie. What a wonderful mom you are .f Itfs just really the choice. The choice is Ifd rather do that than go talk to 17,000 women. Even if itfs much smaller thing.”
After a bevy of successful films, in 2006, Curtis took some time off to be with her children. Even now, she only “occasionally works. This [YOU AGAIN] popped up because it was 6 weeks in the summer in Los Angeles. Would it have been 6 weeks in Toronto, I wouldnft be in the movie.”
On reviewing her body of work, it is notable that over the past ten years, Curtisf films are all very family oriented. For her, the shift of genres was a conscious decision. “There does come a point where youfd like to do movies that your kids can see. And, by the way, you donft want to do anything particularly dark. I have to navigate already that both my kids are going to see films that I did when I was younger that I wouldnft like them to see today. Not that Ifm ashamed of it on any level whatsoever, but because they are my children and I just donft want them to have to see me like that. Whatever it is. Itfs not nudity because my kids have seen me in a bathing suit. Itfs not like they are going to see that much different. Itfs just the idea that there are some dark things. I donft want them to see me like that. Therefs no need for me as an actor to have them go, eOh you look good in that.f And the last thing Ifm going to do now is go do some movie where Ifm slamming up against some guy. [For example] “THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT” – fantastic movie. But therefs no way I would be able to participate in something like that. Ifve got small children. Ifve got a 14 year old son. He does not want to see his mommy doing that. So I have to be really cognizant about what Ifm bringing into my family. My husband. Ifm at a point where Ifm lucky that I donft have to do that. I respect so much the work that some of these women do but thatfs not what I do.”
Co-starring with Sigourney Weaver and Betty White in the upcoming YOU AGAIN, Jamie Lee Curtis is quick to comment on both actresses. “What can you say about Betty White except that every single thing youfve ever heard about her is true.” However, when it comes to Weaver, things get a bit more “heated” with a jovial rivalry. “Sigourney Weaver was in the most successful movie of all time. And she will tell you that – over, and over and over again. (Laughing) But, my action figure from the piece of shit VIRUS is bigger than hers. Thatfs all you have to know. Size does matter. Hers is half off [price] and mine I bought on eBay for a premium of $8.95. Although I understand she speaks French and was in the number one movie ever, my action figure is bigger than hers and thatfs all that you really need to know about me.”
