Jamie Lee Curtis is in one of the busiest – and most interesting – phases of her career, juggling a buzzy new political comedy from a Hollywood legend, multiple major projects, and a candid new cover story about aging, sobriety, and hard‑won freedom.
A New James L. Brooks Comedy With a Political Bite
Curtis is stepping into what she calls one of the
great parts of her career with
Ella McCay, the new film from writer-director
James L. Brooks, the Oscar‑winning mind behind
Terms of Endearment and
Broadcast News.
In a recent appearance on
The View, she explained that:
-
Ella McCay centers on a
young, idealistic politician “filled with ideas and the belief that public service” can still matter in today’s climate.
- Curtis plays
Helen, the protagonist’s aunt and “total backbone,” her “number one cheerleader,” providing emotional and moral support as the younger woman navigates politics.
- Curtis says she’s been acting since 19, is now 67, and has “waited [her] whole life for a filmmaker like James L. Brooks to send [her] a letter” offering her this role.
She described Brooks’ handwritten note inviting her into the film as both old‑school and deeply meaningful, adding that for her, this is
“a great part” at a moment when she already has an “obviously… great life, full career.”
Speaking Out on Politics – and Hope
Curtis used her
View appearance to connect the movie’s themes to the current political mood, saying the story reflects
today’s political climate and a growing sense that people are starting to
say “no” to what they reject in public life.
She told the hosts she is
“actually hopeful”, adding that she feels “the worm is turning” – a sign, in her view, that voters and citizens are less willing to accept the status quo without pushback. While careful not to stump for any particular candidate on-air, she positioned
Ella McCay as a film that taps into that moment of frustration and possibility.
AARP Cover Story: Freedom, Sobriety, and Life After 60
At the same time, Curtis is the *
August/September 2025 cover star of AARP The Magazine
, using the platform to give one of her most personal interviews in years.
In that feature, she reflects on:
- Aging and aliveness: Approaching 67, Curtis says, “I am more alive today than I was when I was 37. Or 47. Or 57. Way more alive,” tying that feeling to what she calls “constant curiosity.”
- Letting go of vanity: She jokes about her “cankles” and admits she’s “really let go of [her] vanity,” describing herself as “free, totally free.”
- Sobriety as survival: Curtis speaks starkly about addiction, saying, “The truth is that addiction wants you dead, period, end of story,” and describing sobriety as a redefinition of freedom that underpins her current creative surge.
- Late‑career creativity: She links a “creative explosion” to her 2023 Oscar win for Everything Everywhere All at Once
, saying she “never, ever” imagined sitting in the front row of the Academy Awards and now insists, “I am more than you think.”
The profile also touches on her domestic life and structure-loving personality. Curtis admits she’s a daytime person, noting, “in my opinion nothing good happens at night,” and celebrates the stability and joy she finds in routines.
Love, Laughter, and Christopher Guest
Curtis also opens up about her nearly four‑decade marriage to filmmaker and actor Christopher Guest, framing humor as the secret weapon of their relationship.
She calls him “the funniest dude on the planet” and says Guest “can drop [her] to the ground with a look let alone a phrase,” acknowledging that his ability to use humor to defuse tension can be both “annoying” and an “amazing blessing.” The AARP story paints a picture of a partnership built on laughter, mutual respect, and the kind of inside jokes that only come with time.
A Crowded Slate: ‘Freakier Friday’, ‘Scarpetta’ and More
Beyond Ella McCay
, Curtis’ calendar is packed.
According to AARP’s rundown of her upcoming work, she has:
- “Freakier Friday” – a long‑anticipated follow‑up to the beloved Freaky Friday
, reuniting her with a now‑adult Lindsay Lohan in a new body-swap twist aimed at a multigenerational audience.
- “Scarpetta” – a Prime Video thriller series based on Patricia Cornwell’s crime novels, in which Curtis helps bring the forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta’s world to streaming, riding the wave of prestige literary adaptations.
- Additional film and television projects “on the horizon,” signaling that her Oscar win has translated into real leverage and opportunity rather than a single victory lap.
Taken together, the slate underscores what Curtis herself calls a “creative explosion” in her 60s, upending old Hollywood assumptions about how long women are allowed to lead stories.
What Jamie Lee Curtis’ Late-Career Run Really Signals
Curtis’ current moment sits at the intersection of several major industry and cultural shifts:
- Age visibility and power: As an AARP cover star actively promoting multiple studio projects, she embodies a broader push to put older women at the center of stories rather than the margins.
- Politics in mainstream comedy: With Ella McCay*, she is betting that audiences are ready for a political story that isn’t a grim drama but still engages with real frustrations and hopes.
-
Sobriety in the spotlight: Her blunt framing of addiction – “wants you dead” – contributes to a growing wave of stars speaking openly about recovery as a foundation for sustained creativity and longevity in the business.
For fans, it means you’re going to be seeing a lot more of Jamie Lee Curtis across theaters, streaming, and magazine covers. For Hollywood, it’s a reminder that a 67‑year‑old woman with a sharp sense of humor, a clear sense of self, and a fearless approach to honesty can still be one of the most bankable – and interesting – people in the room.
Sources
1. AARP The Magazine Cover Star Jamie Lee Curtis - July 23, 2025
2. Jamie Lee Curtis Talks 'Ella McCay,' Says Political Change Is ...
