Jamie Lee Curtis has revisted her aerobics routine from the 1985 filmPerfect. The iconic movie moment saw her play Jessie, a fitness instructor who becomes involved with Los Angeles reporter Adam,portrayed by John Travolta, when he sets out to write a story about gym culture. The movie, written and directed by James Bridges, becameinfamous for its high-energy aerobics scenes, which captured the fitness craze of the ’80s.
Curtis appeared onThe Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallonto recreate her character’s iconic aerobics scene, complete with exaggerated movements. Her routinetook on a new humorous perspectivewith the added bonus of comedic gags, such as a pizza delivery, a surgery, and a champagne tower pour. Fallon took Travolta’s place in this revived take, adding to the silliness of the parody. Check out the video below:
What This Means for Jamie Lee Curtis’ Longstanding Career
It’s A Humorous Recreation Of One Of Her Earliest Films
Curtis’ recreation of the aerobics scene fromPerfectdemonstrates her ability to engage with her past work in an amusing way. While the film is often remembered for embracing the aerobics craze in a way that may be viewed as campy, Curtis’ playful take on the vivacious scene shows her comfort with the role.Perfectwas not a defining film in her career, but it served as a fun piece of her overall filmography.TheHalloweenstar’s humorous approach shows her self-awareness,evincing the fact that Curtis can revisit and enjoy past performances without taking herself too seriously.
Jamie Lee Curtis' breakout role was portraying iconic survivor Laurie Strode in John Carpenter’s seminal 1978 horror movieHalloween, leading a cast that also included Donald Pleasence and Kyle Richards.
This playful nod toPerfectalso highlights Curtis’ adaptability. Over the years, she has tackled a wide range of roles, andher ability to switch between genres has helped maintain her standing in Hollywood.Curtis’ careeris much more thanPerfect, including notable roles as a scream queen in post-Halloweenhorror movies includingThe Fog,Prom Night,andTerror Train,in addition to starring in comedies likeFreaky Fridayand playing a notorious role inTrading Places. As she embraced more diverse roles, Curtis also found success as a children’s author and LGBTQ+ advocate, expanding her influence beyond the screen.
This Is Not The First Jamie Lee Curtis Throwback
She Has Paid Homage To Other Iconic Roles
This recreation ofPerfectis far from the first time that Jamie Lee Curtis has paid homage to one of her iconic roles. The role that she has done this with the most is that of Laurie Strode, a character who she returned to play in six additional installments of theHalloweenfranchisein various continuities. However, she also paid homage to Laurie Strode, as well as her mother Janet Leigh’s performance in the iconic Alfred Hitchcock proto-slasherPsycho, bytaking on a lead role in the 2015 Ryan Murphy horror-comedy seriesScream Queens, which ran for two seasons.
Halloween Ends(2022)
Laurie Strode
Laurie Strode is Curtis' most iconic franchise role, andtheHalloweensequels are among the only titles where she has ever played the same role in more than one movie, though she also reprised the character of Shelly in the 1994 sequelMy Girl 2. She is also set to return to her iconic character Tess Coleman in theupcomingFreakier Friday, a 2025 sequel to 2003’sFreaky Friday. Typically, she has played homage to iconic roles like Laurie Strode, Tess Coleman, andEverything Everywhere All At Once’s Deirdre Beaubeirdre elsewhere, either on talk shows or her TikTok account.
Our Take On Jamie Lee Curtis’ Aerobics Throwback
Her New Take On Perfect’s Most Iconic Scene Is A Testament To Her Legacy
Curtis’ playful aerobics routine fromPerfectis a prime example of her ability to balance nostalgia with modern humor. It also reflects her comfort in revisiting her earlier roles while reinforcing her status as a timeless and versatile actress. Curtis’ decision to recreate a moment from her past, rather than distance herself from it, shows her continued ability to adapt.This lightheartedPerfectparody adds to her ever-growing legacy,proving that Curtis remains as relevant as ever in Hollywood.
Laurie Strode was the star’s first major horror role, but shecemented her status one of the genre’s most iconic scream queenswith performances in the aforementionedProm Night,Terror Train, andThe Fog, as well asRoad Games,Virus, andMother’s Boys. ReadScreenRant’s definitiveranking of Jamie Lee Curtis' horror movieshere.
Another iconic movie that cemented the Oscar-winning star’s status as a genre-hopping chameleon isA Fish Called Wanda,a 1988 caper comedy in which she starred opposite Kevin Kline, John Cleese, and Michael Palin. This led to further comedy roles in movies includingTrading Places,Freaky Friday, andEverything Everywhere All At Once. ReadScreenRant’s ranking ofJamie Lee Curtis' 10 funniest comedy movieshere.
Jamie Lee Curtis won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2023for her performance inEverything Everywhere All At Once. For more information, read the full breakdown of the2023 Academy Awards, during which the movie won Best Picture and numerous other awards.
Perfect
Cast
Perfect is a drama film released in 1985, directed by James Bridges. The movie stars John Travolta as a reporter investigating the health and fitness industry and Jamie Lee Curtis as an aerobics instructor. Their paths cross during his assignment, leading to unexpected developments in their professional and personal lives.
