Jamie Lee Curtis is looking back with humour and honesty on the early days of her career in advertising, opening up about her unconventional path and the shift she’s seen in the entertainment industry.
Speaking at the Amazon Port during the Cannes Lions 2025, the Oscar-winning actress shared stories from her time as one of the first women in Hollywood to appear in major commercials while still actively working in film and television.
Curtis recalled her very first ad, which she did with O.J. Simpson for Hertz rental cars.
“A murdering motherf–ker,” she said bluntly, referencing the controversial figure she once worked with. She went on to appear in ads for brands like Hitachi, L’eggs pantyhose, and Voice Stream Wireless, but it was her long-running partnership with Activia yogurt that became a defining part of her advertising legacy.
“My agents and lawyers and many friends questioned why I would do such a thing when I was still acting in things and pretending to be other people,” Curtis admitted when talking about her decision to endorse Activia, a probiotic yogurt.
The campaign, which she humorously summed up as “yogurt that makes you s–t,” lasted six years and became a pop culture reference point.
But Curtis made it clear that the perception around actors doing commercials has changed.
“I sold yogurt that makes you s–t for six years and I won an Oscar,” she said.
“I believe that that crossover has now happened. We can advertise and pretend simultaneously. There has been a paradigm shift in the way we as consumers take on our content and there is no stigma anymore.”
Authenticity, she emphasized, is something she values deeply—especially in an era where beauty standards are under constant scrutiny.
Curtis didn’t hold back when addressing the growing trend of cosmetic procedures among young women.
“If I am asking you to trust me and believe me, I am gonna tell you the truth,” she said. “There is a problem today and the cosmeceutical industry is disfiguring entire generations of beautiful young women who need nothing except some sunblock.”
Bringing her reflections full circle, Curtis added, “I hope we can do both: tell the truth and sell s–t. That’s the partnership I am looking for.”
Her candid remarks highlighted how the lines between art, advertising, and authenticity have continued to blur—and how she’s always been unafraid to embrace all sides of her career.
