Hollywood actress Jamie Lee Curtis is expressing heartfelt gratitude to her mother, Janet Leigh, who was also an actress. Curtis recently shared that her mother made the important decision to delay her entry into horror films.
Janet Leigh turned down a significant opportunity, protecting her then 12-year-old daughter from early fame and potential trauma associated with starring in one of the scariest movies ever produced. During a recent appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Curtis revealed that a producer wanted her to audition for The Exorcist.
“He called my mom and said, ‘Hey, I’m producing the movie of the book The Exorcist. Will you let Jamie audition for it?’ At that time, I was probably 12, cute and kind of sassy with some personality. I’m sure he saw me at a party and thought, ‘Oh, she’d be funny.’ And my mother said, ‘No.’”
In her conversation with Barrymore, Curtis emphasized, “My mom really wanted me to have, thank God, a childhood, which I understand you didn’t get. You didn’t get that option.”
Barrymore’s first role came at the age of seven in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, where she played Elliot’s younger sister. Ultimately, Linda Blair was cast as the possessed child, Regan, earning a nomination at the 1974 Academy Awards for best supporting actor for that role.
Curtis became synonymous with the horror genre, making her mark in the 1978 classic Halloween at the age of 19. Over the years, she starred in films such as The Fog, Prom Night, and Terror Train. Most recently, she reprised her iconic role of Laurie in 2022’s Halloween Ends.