Dr. Curtis at your service.
Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis, who just snagged an Emmy nomination for her critically-acclaimed turn on The Bear, is poised to receive another accolade. The American Film Institute announced today that it will present a doctorate of fine arts degree honoris causa to Curtis in honor of “contributions of distinction to the art of the moving image.”
Curtis will receive the shine and the diploma during the AFI Conservatory’s commencement ceremony celebrating the class of 2024 at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre on Aug. 10.
With the honor, Curtis joins a roster of past recipients that includes such notable names as Robert Altman, Angela Bassett, Kathryn Bigelow, Mel Brooks, Carol Burnett, Clint Eastwood, Nora Ephron, James Earl Jones, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Angela Lansbury, Spike Lee, David Lynch, Helen Mirren, Rita Moreno, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Paul Schrader, Quentin Tarantino, Lily Tomlin, Robert Towne, Cicely Tyson and John Williams. Also on the list: Curtis’s longtime close friend Jodie Foster and her fellow Everything Everywhere All at Once Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh.
“Jamie Lee Curtis is a supernova born from the union of two stars – an icon whose fearless approach to her craft and dauntless dedication to driving culture forward define excellence in our modern day,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO, in reference to her famous parents Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. “AFI is privileged to honor her at AFI Commencement, where the next generation of storytellers will draw inspiration from her remarkable journey.”
Curtis is a veteran actress who has amassed an enviable list of credits over the years. Though she is perhaps best known for her long running role as Laurie Strode in the Halloween franchise, she turned out many beloved performances in such films as True Lies, Trading Places, A Fish Called Wanda, Knives Out, Freaky Friday, My Girl, You Again, Blue Steel, Christmas with the Kranks and The Tailor of Panama. She snagged an Oscar and SAG Award for Everything Everywhere All at Once. In 2021, Curtis received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival.
Curtis, who is currently filming Freaky Friday 2 opposite Lindsay Lohan, next stars in Eli Roth’s Borderlands. The New York Times best-selling author (who recently released Just One More Sleep) is also the founder and CEO of My Hand In Yours, a charitable organization that offers comfort and celebration items with 100 percent of every sale donated directly to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
