Jamie Lee Curtis Says She Plans to Retire on Her Own Terms: “I Want to Leave Before You Stop Asking”

Key Points

• Jamie Lee Curtis, 67, says she intends to retire before roles stop coming her way.

• The actress reflected on watching her famous parents struggle with aging in Hollywood.

• Curtis shared the comments at the Los Angeles premiere of her new film Ella McCay, releasing December 12.

• She hopes to exit the industry gracefully rather than face the “humiliating” decline her parents experienced.

• Despite retirement talks, Curtis says her current career resurgence “feels perfect.”

Jamie Lee Curtis Opens Up About Retirement Plans at Ella McCay Premiere

Jamie Lee Curtis is thinking ahead—far ahead—when it comes to her Hollywood career. At the Los Angeles premiere of Ella McCay, the Oscar-winning actress spoke candidly about wanting to step back from acting while she is still in demand.

Curtis, now 67, told PEOPLE she hopes to “self-retire” before the film industry stops offering her meaningful opportunities. Her reflections arrive at a uniquely successful point in her career, following a major resurgence in recent years.

“I’m Leaving Before You Don’t Ask Me Anymore”

Curtis explained that her desire to retire stems partly from her upbringing. As the daughter of screen legends Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, she witnessed firsthand the painful decline her parents experienced when Hollywood no longer called.

“They were denied access to the very thing they loved,” she said, recalling how fewer roles came their way as they aged. “It was heartbreaking.”

Curtis emphasized that timing is everything for her.

“I’m going to step away before you no longer go, ‘Hey, Jamie, come here.’ Because it’s too humiliating for me,” she said on the Ella McCay red carpet.

A Career Defined by Foresight and Self-Awareness

During a recent appearance on the Today show, Curtis again expressed her wish to leave the industry before she experiences the “sad feeling of missing out”—a fear many aging actors face.

“I want to go like, ‘Okay, I’m done. I’ll be done,’” she said.

Still, Curtis admits she currently feels creatively fulfilled. “There’s nothing about it that isn’t just feeling perfect,” she added, acknowledging her recent critical acclaim and renewed popularity.

A New Film and a Reflective Chapter Ahead

Ella McCay, hitting theaters December 12, marks Curtis’s latest major release. While she continues to enjoy fresh momentum in her career, she appears equally committed to exiting on her own timeline, guided by gratitude and the lessons she learned from her Hollywood lineage.

What Happens Next?

Curtis has not set a firm retirement date, suggesting instead that the decision will come intuitively. For now, she remains active, promoting Ella McCay and savoring a chapter she describes as “perfect.”

Fans can expect her to continue working—until she feels ready to take her final bow on her own terms.