Everything Everywhere All at Once earned Jamie Lee Curtis his first Oscar nomination in her decades-long career, prompting an emotional response from the Hollywood vet. That might be a surprise for longtime fans of the talented actress, who's also the daughter of legendary Oscar nominees Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. This accomplishment is even more special when you consider that Curtis is being honored in the same category as her late movie star mother, who nabbed a nom for her role in the classic thriller Psycho. With the Academy Awards quickly approaching, Curtis spoke about getting the same nod that her mother received while also looking back on her parents’ legacies.
Jamie Lee Curtis has been feeling the love over the course of awards season, and the Oscars are sure to be the icing on the cake for her. The fact that this latest nomination further cements her in cinematic history alongside her mom isn't lost on her, but she's not dwelling on it. The True Lies alum spoke to People about this and got candid:
You know, I didn't think about that. I mean, I knew it, I was aware of it. I never thought that would happen. Like my parents and their fame and their stardom was so legendary that I've never felt like I would be anywhere near the level. It's a beautiful link. It's a lineage link.
Though she was hurt by the ongoing nepo baby discussion, Jamie Lee Curtis hasn’t shied away from acknowledging her parents’ Hollywood legacies. Along with Janet Leigh’s Oscar nom for Psycho, her father Tony Curtis scored a Best Actor nod for the Academy Award-nominated classic The Defiant Ones. Both of her parents were huge stars during Hollywood’s Golden Age, starring in notable classics like Some Like It Hot, Spartacus, Bye Bye Birdie and The Manchurian Candidate.
It’s surprising to hear that they're now-64-year-old daughter thought she would never be at their level, despite churning out notable film after film for decades. Considering her vast body of work, it's wonderful to see the actress get so much love this awards season. The nomination also made her reflect on not only her parents’ Hollywood contributions but hers as well. The Halloween Ends star recalled to the publication how her awards season run culminated in her emotional tribute to them at the eventful 2023 SAG Awards:
Now, yes, I have my own legacy and my own life. But my life, which is my real life, and the fantasy life of showoff business, is not something that I sort of put much attention to. Certainly, at the SAG Awards, I thought of my parents. There they were. I wore the ring that my dad gave my mom. I found it in a drawer, and I thought, 'I'm going to wear my parents' wedding ring to the SAG Awards.' They were SAG members. It was wonderful.
That SAG Award win represented a full-circle moment for her, since she'd grown up around the business and watched her late parents’ careers play out. If you want to see the usually sardonic actress reflect on her career as well as her folks, just watch the emotional clip below:
Now, viewers will have to wait and see if Jamie Lee Curtis will take home the golden man on Oscar night when the ceremony airs on ABC on March 12 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. She faces some stiff competition from fellow 2023 Academy Awards nominees like Angela Bassett and Everything Everywhere All at Once co-star Stephanie Hsu. Watch her standout performance in the sci-fi blockbuster by streaming it using a Paramount+ subscription. Make sure to check out some of her Curtis' best movies in the meantime.
