- Jamie Lee Curtis never planned to be an actor; she once wanted to become a police officer.
- She speaks publicly against unhealthy Hollywood beauty standards and ageism.
- Curtis calls her children’s books “her best thing” while promoting her new film Ella McCay.
H2: From reluctant performer to seasoned star
Jamie Lee Curtis says she never set out to follow her parents into show business. The daughter of famous actors, Curtis told NPR’s Rachel Martin on the Wild Card podcast that she originally imagined a career in law enforcement — not Hollywood. A twist of fate led her to acting, and over decades she’s become a familiar presence in films and TV, from Halloween and True Lies to Everything Everywhere All at Once and The Bear.
H2: Calling out Hollywood’s beauty standards
Curtis has long used her platform to push back against industry expectations about women’s bodies and appearance. On the podcast she spoke about rejecting unhealthy beauty norms and ageist pressures that shape casting and the treatment of women on screen. The conversation underscores her belief that career longevity depends on demanding better roles and fairer standards, not conforming to narrow ideals.
H3: Staying grounded and lifting others up
Host Rachel Martin praised Curtis for speaking plainly — what Martin described as the Jamie Lee Curtis who “calls BS” on unfair treatment and keeps herself grounded while supporting other artists. Curtis’s approach combines candor with advocacy: she pushes for healthier representations while continuing to choose roles that challenge stereotypes.
H2: Family, sobriety and creative reinvention
The interview touches on Curtis’s family background and the shadow of fame that comes with being the child of major stars. She also references personal challenges, including sobriety, as part of the arc that shaped her priorities and the kinds of projects she accepts. The result is a career defined by reinvention rather than typecasting.
H2: Children’s books and Ella McCay
Beyond acting, Curtis emphasized that her children’s books are, to her, among her proudest achievements — she called them “her best thing.” At the same time, she’s back on screen in a new film called Ella McCay, which she discussed during the interview.
H2: Listen and where to find the full conversation
You can hear the full, roughly 54-minute Wild Card interview with Rachel Martin on NPR’s podcast. Embedded below is the NPR audio player provided with the episode:
The interview offers a compact portrait of a performer who has continually reshaped her career — refusing to accept limiting beauty standards, exploring new creative outlets, and choosing roles that matter to her. For fans of Jamie Lee Curtis, it’s a candid look at how one of Hollywood’s enduring figures stays true to herself while still surprising audiences.
Image Referance: https://www.npr.org/2025/12/11/nx-s1-5640030/jamie-lee-curtis-ella-mckay-janet-leigh-sobriety-beauty-standards-hollywood