“Endings are a bitch but so is Laurie Strode”. Jamie Lee Curtis was
visibly emotional talking about being ready for Halloween to end as it
will October 14th with the 3rd part in David Gordon Green’s trilogy.
Saturday evening’s tribute to Curtis, Laurie Strode, and 45 years of
Halloween was a raucous affair that saw the room housing NYCC’s Empire
stage packed solid with thousands of fans. It was these fans specifically,
proxies for the millions around the world, that Jamie Lee Curtis thanked
for her entire life. “The permanent ink of my life is you guys”, she
said, noting that everything has come from the fans loving Laurie Strode –
her first role – and not wanting her to get hurt for the last forty plus
years.
Moderated by Drew Barrymore, the panel was informal and intimate, two
powerhouse women on stage having a chat as it were. Barrymore, seemingly
as in awe and as big a fan as the rest of those in attendance, tried her
best to ask very thoughtful questions but Curtis seemed dead set on
cutting through any formality or analysis with gratitude, honesty, and
humility. She remarked that though she works very hard at her profession,
acting is a job that, for whatever reason, comes easily to her. There was
no secret process to bringing Laurie Strode to life or ritual for shaking
off the work after a long day of being the original scream queen.
Deferring again to the audience with the assertion that the fans have
harder jobs than she ever has or will, Curtis whittled it all down to one
word given to her by director John Carpenter while filming the original
Halloween in 1978 – vulnerability.
With that in mind, it was clear just how much Laurie Strode has bled into
Jamie Lee Curtis over the years – another reflection from the woman of the
hour. While she told Drew that there wasn’t much of herself that
originally went into the more naive, and yes, vulnerable 17 year old
Strode, she touched on how entwined the two have become, tightly woven
together, and now inseparable after all this time. Curtis’ willingness to
be vulnerable was paramount Saturday evening as she continued to thank the
fans and reflect on her life and career. As chants of “Jamie” and “Thank
you Jamie” rang out through the auditorium she took time to not only
praise the fans but director David Gordon Green for giving Laurie Strode a
family. She also thanked that family – Judy Greer and Andi Matichak – for
their talent and incredible performances. Curtis even had the surprise
opportunity to shine the light on her longtime stunt person, Donna Keegan
who sat in the front row and stood to much applause, at Curtis’ request as
she talked about working on True Lies.
Saturday night’s room was electric, not just because thousands of fans
were assembled to have their chance to glimpse and listen to our favorite
final girl in the flesh but because there was a special X factor to it
all. While this is not a farewell tour for Jamie Lee Curtis the actress;
long may she reign on our screens, this is a final bow of sorts. From
minute one of the panel to the very last second Curtis’ fondness for the
character, the fans; this whole experience, as well as the special kind of
mourning that comes with closing such a long and storied chapter in one’s
life was palpable. There seems to be some skepticism out there that this
is really it for Halloween and it’s understandable – this is a world where
valuable IP doesn’t rest for long to be sure. But for those of us in
attendance Saturday evening at New York Comic Con, it seems all but
certain.
