Jamie Lee Curtis leads a multitude of magnificent lives. Hollywood Royalty holder, children's author, wife to Christopher Guest, AARP covergirl and staunch advocate for Activia yogurt. But then that's what she's shown to be so splendid at throughout her revealing and revitalizing career: balancing these many separate lives. It's enough to make anyone scream, but then Jamie Lee Curtis is also the queen of that.
The virginal high school babysitter with the homicidal, immortal brother; the hitchhiker with a past who's sure to put out. Jamie Lee Curtis is like an onion. As she progressed through the 80's we saw her shed layers... and eventually her layers.
A street-tough cop and undercover thief are both hard earned women's roles that transcend just just being topless. It's all about range, and Jamie's sensual and oft-victimized self takes some harder-edged turns. Not only is she playing the independent brains behind the operations, Jamie Lee proves she's a horror heroine, comedian and an action star! Maybe someone will have the sick humor to pair her with Arnold Schwarzenegger...
But first come see the softer of side of Jamie Lee... Although it's easy to understand this little girl's suspicions. There's definitely some backstory there - especially obvious when Jamie Lee shows up at a funeral home in her camper trailer asking for a cosmetology job. Is she telling the truth? Lies?
You don't marry Arnold Schwarzenegger in a movie and think all you're getting is a joint checking account. The jig is up: hubby's a secret agent and that mousy wife of his (Jamie Lee wears glasses!) has been sleeping with her own 007 on the side. But then we can understand why, given Jamie Lee's past. For one thing this new guy also lives in a trailer. Just peeling back the layers with Jamie Lee...
And I bet Jamie Lee Curtis's body is looking pretty good to Lindsay Lohan right about now... (Take that as you will.) Even if she needs to swap bodies with her daughter to gain perspective, Jamie Lee's found perfect balance when it comes to her body of work. She's managed to stay fearless and funny, taut and terrified. Her sparse appearances always remind me of why I loved her in the first place.
Few have managed to hold a horror film AND the sheer terror of the Disney summer movie. As organically as her career has unfolded, she's somehow kept that Hollywood legacy fresh. Either she's constantly swapping bodies with teenage girls or that Activia yogurt really does work wonders.
