Jamie Lee Curtis SLAMS the nepotism baby label as she reflects on being the daughter of movie stars
Jamie Lee Curtis SLAMS the ‘nepotism baby’ label as she reflects on being the ‘daughter of movie stars’ Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis says ‘there’s not a day in’ her ‘professional life that goes by without her being reminded that she is ‘the daughter of movie stars.’
In the wake of New York Magazine’s recent controversial nepotism-themed cover, featuring Dakota Johnson, Maya Hawke, Zoe Kravitz and more, the veteran actress, 64, reflected on being the daughter of famous parents, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.
‘I have been a professional actress since I was 19 years old so that makes me an OG Nepo Baby,’ the mom-of-two. ‘I’ve never understood, nor will I, what qualities got me hired that day, but since my first two lines on Quincy as a contract player at Universal Studios to this last spectacular creative year some 44 years later.’
Speaking out: Jamie Lee Curtis says ‘there’s not a day in’ her ‘professional life that goes by without her being reminded that she is ‘the daughter of movie stars’ (seen in 2022)
She continued: ‘The current conversation about nepo babies is just designed to try to diminish and denigrate and hurt.’
‘For the record I have navigated 44 years with the advantages my associated and reflected fame brought me, I don’t pretend there aren’t any, that try to tell me that I have no value on my own,’ the Halloween Ends star wrote on Instagram.
The performer pointed out that it is ‘curious’ that society ‘immediately make assumptions and snide remarks’ about ‘someone else who is famous in their field for their art, would somehow have no talent whatsoever.’
Famous from birth: In the wake of New York Magazine’s controversial nepotism-themed cover, featuring Dakota Johnson, Maya Hawke, Zoe Kravitz and more, the 64-year-old veteran actress reflected on being the daughter of famous parents, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh
Curtis insisted that the stereotype around celebrity children ‘is simply not true’ and detailed her hard work over the years, which has required her to act with ‘integrity and professionalism’ on every set.
‘I am not alone. There are many of us. Dedicated to our craft. Proud of our lineage. Strong in our belief in our right to exist,’ she noted.
The Golden Globe winner concluded her post by sharing a piece of wisdom from her friend, Rob Reynolds, which is simply to ‘be kind.’
‘I have been a professional actress since I was 19 years old so that makes me an OG Nepo Baby,’ the mom-of-two. ‘I’ve never understood, nor will I, what qualities got me hired that day, but since my first two lines on Quincy as a contract player at Universal Studios to this last spectacular creative year some 44 years later’
‘For the record I have navigated 44 years with the advantages my associated and reflected fame brought me, I don’t pretend there aren’t any, that try to tell me that I have no value on my own,’ the Halloween Ends star wrote on Instagram
Her parents were two of the most famous actors of their time and starred together in the critically acclaimed 1953 film Houdini.
Tony’s career spanned six decades and he headlined the iconic classic films Some Like it Hot and Spartacus.
While Janet was an early screen siren whose most famous role was, without question, as Marion Crane in Psycho. She also starred in Bye Bye Birdie, The Manchurian Candidate and Little Women.
Back in 2019, Jamie Lee admitted that she knew her parents’ careers gave her a ‘leg up’ in landing her role as Laurie in 1978′s Halloween.
Four decades in Hollywood: Jamie Lee burst onto the scene with her career making 1978 role in Halloween – which she has reprised several times over the last four decades; seen last month
Curtis and Leigh were wed from 1951 to 1962 and had two daughters, Jamie Lee and Kelly Lee.
Jamie Lee burst onto the scene with her career making 1978 role in Halloween – which she has reprised several times over the last four decades.
The scream queen went on to star in a string of horror flicks in the 80s and then expanded her career significantly in the 1990s and into the 2000s with titles like True Lies, A Fish Called Wanda and My Girl.
More recently she starred in Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens, the 2019 whodunit Knives Out and Halloween Kills.
She is married mockumentary filmmaker Christopher Guest in 1984, making her a Baroness. They share two adopted children.
Controversial cover: Jamie Lee is the latest celebrity to call out New York Magazine’s latest issue, a hit piece about stars from famous families
Jamie Lee is the latest celebrity to call out New York Magazine’s latest issue, a hit piece about stars from famous families.
Actress Eve Hewson, the star of Bad Sisters and daughter of Bono, even called out its CEO Pamela Wasserstein for being a ‘nepo baby’ as well.
Eve’s father, Bruce, bought the magazine in 2004 for $55 million, Hewson and other stars took to social media to chuckle about the irony.