Why Thinking About Retirement Hits Jamie Lee Curtis So Hard: ‘It Was Heartbreaking’

by

Jamie Lee Curtis, a consistently working and energetic actress, recently discussed the possibility of retirement. While it might seem surprising considering her busy career, she’s been a fixture in Hollywood for almost 50 years – having won her first Oscar in 2023 for Everything Everywhere All At Once. She admitted that letting go of acting is a tough idea, and there’s a particular reason why she struggles with considering it.

What Did Jamie Lee Curtis Say About The Idea Of Retirement Being Hard For Her?

Jamie Lee Curtis has had an incredibly versatile career in film and television. She first became famous as a scream queen in the 1970s with the movie Halloween, but she’s also shown her comedic talents in films like Trading Places and A Fish Called Wanda. More recently, she’s starred in comedies like Freakier Friday and Ella McCay, and even appeared in action movies such as True Lies.

Many people eventually start thinking about retirement, and actress Curtis is among them, even though she’s been very successful lately. She recently shared her thoughts with People magazine on the Ella McCay red carpet, clarifying comments she made in a previous interview about potentially retiring, and explained:

I’m finished with constantly hinting at retirement, but I will retire eventually – I think I’ve said that a few times already! The interviewer didn’t fully understand I was talking about my parents when I mentioned retirement. They were huge stars in this business, and I’m just a smaller one compared to them.

During an interview with Today, Curtis jokingly mentioned she’s announced her retirement several times before. She explained this is because she prefers to stop working while people are still interested in having her, rather than waiting until she’s no longer offered roles.

She finds the idea of retirement challenging because she saw her parents, Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, struggle with the same thing. They loved acting and wanted to continue, but as they got older, work became harder to find. She explained that…

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 passion and energy fade as opportunities dried up with age.

It’s easy to forget, but it must be incredibly tough for actors or performers to see their careers slow down, particularly when they still feel capable and eager to work. The star of Knives Out—who is revisiting the mystery genre by starring in a new Murder She Wrote series—witnessed her parents go through this painful experience firsthand, and she’s determined to avoid the same outcome for herself.

Honestly, the thought of facing that situation just seems incredibly humiliating to her, and she’s understandably focused on seizing any good opportunities while quietly preparing for a potential exit. As a viewer, I’m really hoping Curtis sticks around for a long time to come – she’s a fantastic talent and I’d be sad to see her go.

Read More

2025-12-12 22:38