At 66, actress Jamie Lee Curtis is embracing a powerful new chapter in her life and career, unfiltered and unafraid to speak out. In a wide-ranging interview with The Guardian’s Emma Brockes, Curtis explains why she no longer cares what people think of her, and talks about the damaging effects of the beauty industry, especially in Hollywood.
“I have become quite brusque,” said Curtis. “And I have no problem saying: ‘Back the f*** off.’”
Jamie Lee Curtis, unfiltered: “We’ve disfigured generations of women”
Curtis goes on to criticize the “cosmeceutical industrial complex,” which she believes has “disfigured generations of women” through cosmetic surgery, fillers, and the pressures of artificial beauty standards. She likens the effect to a kind of cultural “genocide” against natural appearance – an intentionally provocative word she stands by to highlight the scale of the problem.
“I’ve used that word for a long time and I use it specifically because it’s a strong word,” she said. “I believe that we have wiped out a generation or two of natural human [appearance]. The concept that you can alter the way you look through chemicals, surgical procedures, fillers – there’s a disfigurement of generations of predominantly women who are altering their appearances. And it is aided and abetted by AI, because now the filter face is what people want. I’m not filtered right now. The minute I lay a filter on and you see the before and after, it’s hard not to go: ‘Oh, well that looks better.’ But what’s better? Better is fake.”
Now a self-proclaimed “weapon of mass promotion” and “boss,” Curtis is finally enjoying long-delayed respect in Hollywood. Her 2023 Oscar win for “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and scene-stealing turn in ”The Bear{ unlocked long-denied opportunities. She’s now an active producer behind major upcoming projects, including “Freakier Friday”, “The Lost Bus”, and a “Scarpetta” series.
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Curtis also opens up about:
- Her lifelong battle with vanity and control, shaped by watching her famous parents (Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh) lose relevance as they aged.
- Her past struggles with addiction, describing herself as a “controlled addict” who got sober at 40 and now values “freedom” above all else.
- Her unapologetic attitude toward age, beauty, and judgment: she proudly wears short grey hair, loathes “pretty” Hollywood expectations, and refuses to filter her appearance or opinions.
- Her maternal friendship with co-star Lindsay Lohan, who she respects but pointedly avoids criticizing—even as Lohan may embody some of the very beauty pressures Curtis campaigns against.
- Her role as a fierce advocate for personal identity and LGBTQ+ rights, especially as a mother to a transgender daughter.
Curtis is a rare figure in Hollywood: brutally honest, creatively liberated, and empowered by the kind of authenticity most of the industry still fears. Her central message is clear: freedom – of appearance, expression, and mind – is everything.
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