Jamie Lee Curtis revealed that she did not grasp the script for the 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once when she first read it, despite later winning an Academy Award for her role. In a May interview on CBS News’ 60 Minutes, the 67-year-old actress was asked whether she understood the complex plot upon receiving the script.
“Not one second of it. Did I understand that script? No,”
Curtis stated candidly when reflecting on her initial experience with the screenplay. The movie tells the story of a Chinese–American immigrant laundromat owner who, during an IRS audit, discovers she must connect with alternate versions of herself from parallel universes.
Understanding the Character of IRS Auditor Deirdre Beaubeirdre
Although Curtis admitted confusion over the film’s overall story, she said the role she played as IRS auditor Deirdre Beaubeirdre was clear and easy to relate to. This character earned Curtis not only the Oscar but also a BAFTA and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.
“We all know Dierdre. She’s a woman who’s not loved. She’s a woman who uses her power in her job to control people because she has no love in her life,”
Curtis explained, offering insight into the character’s motivations and demeanor.
Reflecting on the Academy Award Win and Personal Heritage
When Curtis won the Academy Award that year, footage showed her mouthing “shut up” in stunned disbelief. Discussing that moment with 60 Minutes, she commented,
“Totally, because that wasn’t supposed to happen.”
The actress also reflected on her famous parents, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, both of whom were nominated for Oscars but never won. Curtis shared how her own career and life have diverged emotionally and artistically from theirs.
“I think about surpassing my parents, which I have, emotionally. I’ve surpassed my parents with sobriety,”
she said. She added,
“My mother was restricted by what the industry wanted from her and expected from her and would allow from her. My mother would have hated [2024 film] The Last Showgirl because I showed what I really looked like. I have — I don’t want to say surpassed them, but I have freedom.”
The Larger Impact of Curtis’s Career and Role Choices
Jamie Lee Curtis’s experience with the Everything Everywhere All at Once script illustrates the challenges actors can face when approaching unconventional storytelling. Her ability to deliver a compelling performance despite initial confusion underlines her skill in embodying complex characters. Furthermore, her reflections on family and personal growth reveal a deep intensity and restlessness that have shaped her unique path in Hollywood.
As the film continues to be celebrated for its originality, Curtis’s journey through understanding the story and portraying Deirdre Beaubeirdre highlights the sometimes uneasy but rewarding process of interpreting layered narratives in contemporary cinema.
