Jamie Lee Curtis opens up about how her mom, Janet Leigh, protected her from auditioning for ‘The Exorcist’ at age 12. That wise decision let her enjoy a normal childhood before becoming Hollywood’s beloved queen of horror.
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Hollywood icon Jamie Lee Curtis is opening up about a decision her mother, legendary actress Janet Leigh, made that shaped her early life, and also career. Curtis revealed that her mom once turned down an offer for her to audition for one of the scariest films in history: ‘The Exorcist’.
Curtis shared the story during a recent chat on ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’. She said a producer wanted 12-year-old Jamie to try out for the role of Regan, the possessed girl.
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“He called my mom and said, ‘Hey, I’m producing ‘The Exorcist’. Will you let Jamie audition?’” Curtis recalled. “And at the time I was probably 12, cute, kind of sassy… I’m sure he saw me at a party and thought, ‘She’d be funny.’ And my mother said, ‘No.’”
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Curtis expressed deep gratitude for that decision explaining, “My mom really wanted me to have, thank God, a childhood.” She also acknowledged the challenges faced by co-host Drew Barrymore who started acting at a very young age and didn’t have the same option.
Instead of facing the horrors of ‘The Exorcist’, Curtis had time to grow and prepare for the roles that would define her career. Linda Blair ultimately landed the part of Regan earning an Academy Award nomination in 1974 for her performance.
Jamie Lee Curtis eventually found her place in the horror world on her own terms. At 19, she starred in John Carpenter’s ‘Halloween’.
Over the years, she appeared in cult favorites like ‘The Fog’, ‘Prom Night’, ‘Terror Train’. Most recently Curtis returned to the role of Laurie Strode in 2022’s ‘Halloween Ends’.
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