Jamie Lee Curtis: Tribute to a Queen

If someone were to ask me to name some of the greatest actresses of all time, one actress who I could not go without mentioning is Jamie Lee Curtis. She is one of the most multidimensional performers in the history of show business. In light of the upcoming release of Halloween Ends, in which she concludes her iconic role as Laurie Strode after 44 years I wanted to write a tribute article commending her for all the amazing work she has contributed to cinema.

Jamie Lee Curtis was born on November 22, 1958 in Santa Monica, California to actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. After attending college at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, pursuing a career in law, Curtis would drop out to pursue a career as an actress. Given her family lineage this was not an unforeseeable outcome. Curtis's first major acting role was in the John Carpenter horror/slasher Halloween (1978). The film was a smash hit and even became the most successful independent film of its time, grossing over $60 million on a $300,000 budget. Following the success of Halloween, Curtis would go on to star in several other horror films in 1980 including: The Fog, Prom Night, and Terror Train, all of which would be deemed classics of the horror genre. Curtis's role in these films would also earn her the title of a "Scream Queen", a moniker for an actress who is known for her repeated appearances in horror films. Though horror would be Curtis's claim to fame, in time she would become a multi-faceted actress of many trades.

I remember the first time I ever saw Jamie Lee Curtis. Like most horror/slasher nerds it was when she played in Halloween (1978). Following Halloween, my other earliest introductions to Jamie Lee would be Trading Places (1983) and True Lies (1994). For me, all of these films were perfect examples of Curtis's range as an actress and why she has had such a long standing career. From horror, to comedy and action, Jamie Lee really proved she could do it all. Regardless of how great she was in one genre, she never let herself become a typecast of that genre. It was as if from the very beginning she was telling audiences and critics "Hey, I'm really good in this category, but I'm also very good in every other category as well".

One of the most beautiful traits about Jamie Lee is how she has always made films that are relatable to all age groups. Though she had her hit films for the mature audiences like Halloween, Trading Places, and A Fish Called Wanda, she also had a lot of family friendly works for younger audiences like the My Girl films, the 2003 remake of Freaky Friday and Christmas With the Kranks (2004). When I watched all these films they really made me laugh when I thought about the presence of Jamie Lee Curtis in these movies. When I was kid these were movies us kids could watch at school, purchase and even go to a theater and watch without parental guidance and at the same time she had other films that were just as loved by us kids that adults did not want us to talk about or even mention.

With all of her talent and cinematic achievements, if someone were to ask me what is the greatest thing about Jamie Lee Curtis as an actress, I would say it is how much of her real-life self she has poured into her roles. Though she is an actress, Jamie Lee has also always put her own spunky personality and wittiness into characters she has portrayed. That personality consist of her being very smart-mouthed and humorous, but also combatively nurturing. The reality of this being who she really is can be seen when you watch her interviews and follow her on social media. I think it should also never be forgotten that Jamie Lee has always been known for being an icon of classic Hollywood beauty, yet she has never let her physical beauty be her most defining attribute, she has instead let her inner beauty be her best quality. The inner beauty which she has made her most defining quality is why she has created such a lasting impact on entertainment culture and it is also why we all love Jamie Lee Curtis.