Jamie Lee Curtis Says Growing Up With Famous Parents Was “Comfortable, Not Fancy”

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Jamie Lee Curtis recently told Variety that she actually had a pretty normal childhood, even though her parents were famous actors.

She remembered growing up in Los Angeles as pleasant, though not extravagant. Her parents were both well-known actors – Tony Curtis, who starred in films like Some Like It Hot and Spartacus, and Janet Leigh, famous for her performance in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.

Curtis was primarily raised by her mother and stepfather, who served in the Marines, after her father left when she was young for another woman. She explained, “I didn’t grow up thinking about a career in entertainment. I have a few photos of myself on set with my sister, but I don’t remember any of it at all—no memories whatsoever.”

Growing up, I honestly didn’t think I was particularly gifted at anything. I was a pretty energetic and quirky teenager, but definitely not a straight-A student. I wasn’t sporty, and I didn’t really get involved in school plays. My grades were… let’s just say I was a solid D+ student, maybe a C- if the teacher was feeling generous! I was a cheerleader, which was fun, but becoming an actor? That really just happened by chance. It wasn’t something I ever planned.

Jamie Lee Curtis attributes her development to the inspiring women around her, particularly her mother, Janet Leigh. Leigh was a well-known actress who also dedicated time to charitable work. She was involved with Share, a Hollywood wives’ organization from the 1950s that supported children’s charities. Curtis remembers being deeply affected by watching her mother participate in annual fundraising events like the Boomtown Party. As Curtis explained, “Seeing them all work to help kids less fortunate than me really stayed with me.”

Her mother had a close friendship with Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who started the Special Olympics. Curtis began volunteering with the organization as a teenager.

When she was 15, she proposed taking photos of athletes and celebrities with Polaroid cameras at events. Maria Shriver loved the idea, and she managed the photo booth for several years. By the time she was 19, Shriver asked her to start appearing in the photos, explaining, “We want you in the pictures this year since you were on television.”

Jamie Curtis didn’t initially plan to become an actress. While visiting a friend in Beverly Hills during her college Christmas break, she met Chuck Binder, a former tennis instructor who was now working as an actor’s manager.

He suggested she try out for the part of Nancy Drew at Universal Studios. As Curtis put it, “It’s show business – you’re teaching tennis one day, and managing actors the next!” She took his advice, and that’s how she began her career in Hollywood.

You know, even though Jamie Lee Curtis comes from a really famous Hollywood family, her story actually feels surprisingly relatable. It wasn’t about any kind of fast track to success, but more about having encouraging people around her, being naturally curious, and just being open to the opportunities that came her way. Those things really shaped her into the amazing actress she is today.

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2025-10-28 21:14