Jamie Lee Curtisis one ofHollywood’s most coveted performers. She’s earned her spot, too. From her five decades working in the industry, her devotion to the horror genre, and her ability to humanize every character she lands; Curtis teaches audiences thatacting requires as much commitmentas any other profession, creating an admirable reputation for herself separate from that of her Hollywood Elite lineage.
Nevertheless, even the most talented performers don’t book every role they audition for, or due to circumstances outside their control, are forced to turn down a part; Curtis is no exception. Here are 19 major acting roles Jamie Lee Curtis didn’t get or turned down.
19Regan - The Exorcist (1973)
The Exorcistis controversial all across the board, primarily for its religious themes, vulgar language, and its depictions of graphic imagery. Nevertheless, what made it truly chilling is that it dealt with a 12-year-old child as its main antagonist/victim, making audiences sit through truly excruciating moments where Regan suffers physical and psychological torture. Many young actresses were considered for the part, including Curtis.
Curtis' mom, 1960s horror icon Janet Leigh, decided to not let the teenage Curtis participate in the film. As a result, the role went to newcomer, Linda Blair, who gave a chilling performance difficult to rival. AsHalloweendid for Curtis a few years later,The ExorcistputLinda Blair on the map, earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, a Golden Globe win, and paving the way for her successful career throughout the ’70s and ’80s.
18Mary - Psycho II (1983)
Psychois one of Hitchcock’s most acclaimed films and, arguably, didn’t really need a sequel; it’s a disturbing classic all on its own due to its well-crafted script, impeccable cinematography, and nuanced performance by Anthony Perkins as the mentally unstable Norman Bates. Nevertheless, Universal decided to monetize the popularity of this horror classic by producing a sequel more than two decades after its original release.
Psycho IIbrings back Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates, now a reformed member of society looking for a fresh start. Vera Miles returns as Lila Crane, who is bent on revenge against Norma Bates with the help of her daughter, the seemingly innocent, Mary. Ironically, while Curtis refused her first horror movie role due to her mother’s interference, this time, Curtis was simply too booked to take on the role of Mary. Also, Curtis voiced her desire to branch out of horror and expand her acting range in films such asTrading Places, which earned her a BAFTA Award for Best Actress for a supporting role; this is one pass by Curtis that undeniably worked in her favor.
17Laurie Strode - Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
WhenHalloween 3: Season of the Witchperformed poorly among critics, producers Moustapha Akkad and Paul Freeman decided to revert to what horror fans loved best aboutHalloween: Michael Myers. Before conceptualizing the idea of Jamie Lloyd, Michael’s only surviving family member he decides to pursue, producers were sold on having Laurie Strode return (primarily due to Curtis' popularity in Hollywood by the late ’80s).
Curtis was long done withHalloween, though, refusing the offer. That is, until she decided to take the franchise back to its root withHalloween H20in 1998, reprising the role of the final girl, Laurie Strode,and savingHalloweenfrom its direct-to-home video fate.
16Ellen Ripley - Alien (1979)
Just likeHalloweenredefined how Americans view the safety of suburban neighborhoods,Aliendepicted outer space in a horrifying way never been explored.Alienhas a group of crew members traveling through outer space on a mission, suddenly awakened by their ship’s computer to answer a distress signal. Human curiosity gets the best of them as they tamper with some alien eggs, which leads to their demise as they’re struck down one by one with only Ellen Ripley remaining.
Curtis was considered for the role of Ripley, but it ultimately went to Sigourney Weaver. This worked out for horror fans, though, as it gave them yet another Scream Queen to adore. Fun fact: both Curtis and Weaver remain close friends.
15Shirley - Heart Like A Wheel (1983)
Heart Like a Wheelis an interesting tale showing the misogyny found in professional drag race competitions. The plot follows Shirley Muldowney, a waitress that, despite her father’s objections, marries a young mechanic and assumes a homemaker role. This isn’t fulfilling for Shirley, though, as seeing her husband race his hot rod at night piques her interest in the sport, leading her to give racing a go for sport and soon after pursuing it professionally.
Shirley is met with disapproval by her male competitors, superiors in the NHRA, and even her husband, who divorces her when he feels drag racing has taken priority over him. Shirley’s journey is a long and winding ordeal, but she manages to succeed and prove her worth in a male-dominated sports world at the time. While the role went to Bonnie Bedelia, Curtis was one of the several choices for the role, and would have definitely given her own unique spin on the performance given her natural, empowered personality both on-screen and in real life.
14Linda - Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
WhenKnives Outwas first in the talks by producers Ram Bergman and Rian Johnson, a list of actors came to mind, including Curtis. While Curtis enthusiastically signed onto the project after learning Michael Shannon and other A-list performers were in the cast, she was skeptical it would perform well at the box office. Despite these doubts; it was a box office and commercial success, redeeming Johnson for his backlash after directingStar Wars: The Last Jedi.
Curtis’performanceas Linda Drysdale garnered her a Saturn Award nomination, but once,Glass Onion: AKnives Out Mysterywent into production, the franchise took an alternate route by introducing a new ensemble with only Daniel Craig returning from the first installment.
13Roxie Hart - Chicago (2002)
2002’sChicagoswept the box office, reeling in fans of the original Broadway musical. The film garnered several Academy Award nominations and wins, including a Best Picture win for Martin Richards, Best Supporting Actress win for Catherine-Zeta Jones, and a Best Actress nomination for Renée Zellweger. Zellweger gave the performance of a lifetime as Roxie Hart, but what many musical aficionados don’t know is that Curtis was actually considered for the part before the casting was completed.
While seeing Curtis portray Roxie Hart would have been refreshing considering the actress' track record of zero musicals, fans still got quite the treat when she went on to filmFreaky Fridaythe following year alongside Lindsay Lohan, which at the very least has Curtis trying to handle an electric guitar for comedic effect.
12Alex - Flashdance (1983)
The ’80s was a thriving era for American fashion, culture, and filmmaking.Flashdanceencompasses allof these elements to tell a captivating tale about striving to achieve one’s biggest dream. From catchy tunes, invigorating dance numbers, to compelling performances, this film remains a gem among fans, much of it due to its strong and relentless protagonist, Alex Owens.
Several actresses were contenders for the role, including Curtis, but the part went to a lesser-known talent, Jennifer Beals. To this day, it remains Beals' most iconic role, and for good reason–she was absolutely brilliant in it.
11Betty Parker - Pleasantville
This late ’90s teen comedy stars Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon as David and Jennifer, two teenage siblings that are polar opposites. While David is shy and compassionate, Jennifer is self-centered and shallow, causing both siblings to constantly fight over the most trivial reasons. One day, the pair gets sucked into an alternate reality based on a fictional, 1950s, black-and-white sitcom,Pleasantville.
Unaware of what to do to return to their world, they integrate themselves in the plot, forging a bond with their fictional mother, Betty Parker. Curtis was originally considered for the role, but Joan Allen was the final casting decision. Considering thatPleasantvilleis an allegory for discrimination and oppressive society, it’s surprising the role didn’t go to Curtis considering her activist history.
10Elvira - Scarface (1983)
Scarfaceis arguably one of Oliver’s Stone’s most popular screenplays, telling a gritty story that, despite depicting a group of criminals, humanizes them in a way that audiences can’t help but sympathize. One such character is Elvira, a young woman trying to find her identity as she navigates turbulent relationships with the men in her life; her first husband, Frank Lopez, and her later husband, Tony Montana.
As Elvira is catapulted into tenser situations, she resorts to substance abuse to cope with the crippling pressure of her relationship with Tony. While the role went to Michelle Pfeiffer, Curtis was also a contender for the part along with actresses Carrie Fisher, Geena Davis, and Glenn Close, among others.
