Since her film debut in John Carpenter’s 1978 horror film Halloween, Jamie Lee Curtis has become one of the best actresses of her generation. Known for her impressive range and versatility, the actress has gained several accolades for her work, including an Oscar for the 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once. While she has achieved immense success throughout her decades-long career, it was not what she had initially planned for herself.
During a 2022 interview with Vulture, the actress revealed that she did not plan to pursue a career as an actor but had other plans for herself.
Jamie Lee Curtis Did Not Plan to Become an Actress
Known for starring in the Halloween film series, Jamie Lee Curtis has shared that she did not plan to become an actress. Talking about how she landed the role of Laurie Strode in the 1978 film Halloween, she shared that she “wasn’t originally going to be an actress.” During an interview with Vulture, Curtis said,
“I was going to be a police officer. I thought I would be a cop or a social worker. I thought I’d be a really good cop. I went to college at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, where my mother was the most famous person to have ever graduated.”
However, fate had other plans for her. She shared that she met a tennis instructor who advised her to audition for the role of Nancy Drew. While she did not get the part she auditioned for, the True Lies actress decided to take a break from college and spend some time in Los Angeles. And at the end of the month, she had a seven-year contract with Universal Studios.
How Did Jamie Lee Curtis Land the Lead Role in Halloween?
After she signed a seven-year contract with Universal Studios, Jamie Lee Curtis quit her college to pursue a career in Hollywood. However, after being fired from a TV show, she feared that her career was over. She believed that she would lose her contract and would have to go back to college.
It was around the same time that she learned about a low-budget horror film’s auditions. After getting a scene, Curtis decided to go in and audition for the role of Laurie Strode.
“John and Deborah somehow saw something, and they cast me as Laurie Strode. And my life has never, ever ceased to amaze me since that moment,” she shared.
The movie was a critical and commercial hit and is still considered one of the best films of 1978 and the actress’ career. Halloween has also spawned over the years in a slasher media franchise consisting of 13 films. Curtis has reprised her role as Laurie Strode in several films over the years.
Halloween (1978) is available on Prime Video.
