‘Thank God’: Why Jamie Lee Curtis Is Glad Her Mother Didn’t Let Her Audition For The Exorcist As A Kid

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Jamie Lee Curtis is famous for her role as Laurie Strode in the Halloween movies, considered one of the most iconic characters in horror. However, she almost starred in another classic horror film, The Exorcist, which would have required her to perform challenging scenes like crawling like a spider, pretending to vomit, using curse words, and appearing to levitate as if possessed. Curtis has said she’s grateful her mother stopped her from auditioning for the part when she was younger.

I was so surprised to learn that Jamie Lee Curtis actually started her acting career before Halloween! She was only about 18 when she landed a role on Quincy, M.E. back in 1977. She recently shared on The Drew Barrymore Show that she almost became a child star, and it turns out she was offered a part in another classic horror film – but she ended up turning it down! It’s wild to think about how different things could have been.

So, my mom was actually good friends with Ray Stark, the producer of The Exorcist. He called her up and asked if I, Jamie, could audition for the movie. I was around twelve years old at the time – I guess I was a cute, kind of spunky kid, and he probably remembered me from a party and thought I might be funny. But my mom actually turned it down! She said no.

Many people don’t realize that actress Jamie Lee Curtis is the daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, both famous actors themselves. While Janet Leigh, known for her role in Psycho, didn’t begin acting as a child, she enjoyed a successful career spanning over fifty years. Considering the difficulties many young stars face, it was probably wise of Leigh to shield her daughter from the pressures of the entertainment industry at a young age.

Jamie Lee Curtis shared that she doesn’t regret her mother preventing her from auditioning for The Exorcist when she was a child. She explained her feelings, drawing a connection to the way Drew Barrymore was raised.

My mom thankfully made sure I had a normal childhood, something I know you were denied. No one intervened to protect you and allow you to experience those carefree years.

It’s definitely true that Drew Barrymore was a remarkably charismatic child actor in films like E.T. and Firestarter, even before her teenage years. While the Scream actress had a difficult early career, including struggles with drugs and a lack of family support, the Trading Places actress recently praised Barrymore for the positive impact she continues to have on her guests and for how well she’s doing now.

While Jamie Lee Curtis didn’t start her career with The Exorcist, she became a legendary scream queen like her mother by starring as Laurie Strode in the Halloween films. At just 19 years old, she perfectly embodied the ‘Final Girl’ archetype, and she’s continued to have a successful and acclaimed acting career, even winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Janet Leigh was smart to keep her daughter from auditioning for The Exorcist. Linda Blair was perfect as Regan, but more importantly, it protected her daughter from the difficulties faced by many child actors. While Jamie Lee Curtis’s career took a different path, she’s still incredibly successful today.

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2025-12-28 23:38