Jamie Lee Curtis Discusses Potential Retirement From Acting Career

by

Jamie Lee Curtis has been openly discussing the possibility of retiring from acting. She first became famous in 1978 with her role as Laurie Strode in the classic horror film Halloween, which made her a well-known ‘scream queen’.

While Jamie Lee Curtis is famous for her work in horror, she’s also achieved major success in other roles. She recently won an Oscar for Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) and an Emmy for The Bear in 2024, earning critical acclaim for both.

At the premiere of her new film, Ella McCay, Jamie Lee Curtis mentioned she will eventually retire from acting. However, she joked about constantly announcing her retirement, referencing a recent interview on Today with Willie Geist where she admitted to having “probably claimed retirement four times” already and that she’s “done self-retiring.”

I’ve been following her career closely, and it sounds like she’s intentionally choosing to move away from acting before she feels like she has no other choice. She wants to take control of the situation and leave Hollywood on her own terms. You can read exactly what she said about it below.

I’m finished with these false starts at retirement, but I will retire eventually – I think I’ve announced it about four times already! The interviewer didn’t understand I was talking about my parents when I said that. I was explaining how I’d watched my parents, who were huge successes in this business and truly loved it. Compared to them, I’m just a smaller star.

Both of them were huge stars in their time, but as they got older, they were sadly unable to continue doing what they loved – making movies. It was heartbreaking to watch their energy and passion fade as opportunities disappeared.

Jamie Lee Curtis is the daughter of famed actors Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, both of whom have since passed away – Leigh in 2004 at age 77 and Curtis in 2010 at 85. The 68-year-old actress recently discussed the challenges her parents, known for their roles in classic films like Some Like It Hot (1959) and Psycho (1960), faced in finding consistent work as they got older.

As a lifelong movie fan, I’ve always believed in knowing when to exit gracefully. That’s why I talk about ‘self-retiring’ – I want to step down before people stop wanting to see my work. I’d rather leave on my own terms, before I’m no longer invited to contribute, you know? It’s about going out while people are still saying, ‘Hey, Jamie, we need your perspective!’

It’s deeply embarrassing for me to talk about. Growing up with this experience made me determined to make the most of any chance I got, but also to always keep my options open and be ready to leave if needed.

Similarly, during her recent interview on the Today show, Jamie Lee Curtis said:

I want to leave while I’m still welcome, before I’m asked to stop. I really don’t want to feel regret or lose the passion I had for my work – the thing that energized me. I want to be able to say, ‘I’m finished,’ and mean it.

Everything feels absolutely wonderful right now. I’m thrilled this is happening to me at this point in my life. I’m working on accomplishing my goals, but more importantly, I’m really enjoying the journey. It’s just fantastic.

Jamie Lee Curtis has several new projects lined up, so she’s not retiring from acting just yet. She’ll be appearing in the Prime Video series Scarpetta, the horror film Sender, and the thriller Psychosis. Her latest movie, Ella McCay, comes out in theaters on December 12th.

Read More

2025-12-12 03:19