Jamie Lee Curtis Reflects on Hollywood’s Aging Problem

LOS ANGELES, California — Jamie Lee Curtis, Oscar-winning actress, shared her thoughts on the entertainment industry and its treatment of aging actors during a recent interview with The Guardian. In the extensive conversation, published Sunday, Curtis opened up about her desire to leave Hollywood, a sentiment influenced by her famous parents, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.

“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,” Curtis explained. “I watched them reach incredible success and then have it slowly erode to where it was gone. And that’s very painful.”

Curtis, who has been in the industry for decades, revealed that she has been “self-retiring” for the past 30 years. “I have 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,” she added.

Despite her thoughts on retirement, Curtis is currently experiencing a high point in her career. She is set to star in the upcoming sequel to the 2003 film “Freaky Friday,” titled “Freakier Friday,” which is set for release on August 8. Curtis indicated that fan demand is strong for a sequel, sharing how audiences often inquire about it during her promotional events.

“In every single city I went to, the only movie they asked me about besides ‘Halloween’ was ‘Freaky Friday’ – was there going to be a sequel?” she said. She then contacted Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, advocating for a theatrical release after learning the film was initially set for streaming only.

“I said: ‘Guys, I have one word for you: ‘Barbie’. If you don’t think the audience that saw ‘Barbie’ is going to be the audience that goes and sees ‘Freakier Friday’, you’re wrong,’” she explained.

Furthermore, Curtis addressed the issue of cosmetic procedures in the entertainment industry, labeling it the “genocide of my generation.” She criticized the societal pressure to conform to altered appearances. “The concept that you can alter the way you look through chemicals, surgical procedures, fillers – there’s a disfigurement of generations of predominantly women,” she asserted.

While she has strong opinions about plastic surgery and its effects on society, Curtis clarified that she respects individual choices. “I would never say to someone: what have you done? All I know is that it is a never-ending cycle,” she concluded.