“Genocide of a generation of women”- Jamie Lee Curtis criticizes rising popularity of plastic surgery

Jamie Lee Curtis has described the widespread use of plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures as generations of women getting 'disfigured.'

“I’ve been very vocal about the genocide of a generation of women by the cosmeceutical industrial complex, who’ve disfigured themselves.”

In an interview published by The Guardian on July 26, 2025, Curtis stated that the phrase is not exaggerated. She further stated that she uses it deliberately to convey the scale of the issue.

“There’s a disfigurement of generations of predominantly women who are altering their appearances," she said.

She spoke about bringing wax lips and a blond wig to a recent photoshoot, describing the lips as a “statement against plastic surgery.” According to Jamie Lee Curtis, these props reflect her opposition to what she calls the “cosmeceutical industrial complex.” According to her, it encourages young women to undergo cosmetic procedures under social and industry pressures.

While she did not name anyone specifically, Jamie Lee Curtis said there had been “a big onslaught through media” of people altering their appearances. Talking about filtered or cosmetically enhanced appearances, she added.

“Better is fake.”

She cited her own experience at age 25, when a comment on set about her “baggy” eyes prompted her to undergo surgery, a decision she later regretted.

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Jamie Lee Curtis talks about the current phase of her career

Jamie Lee Curtis says her recent run of projects stems from letting go of vanity and embracing control.

Talking about her producing roles with The Guardian, Jamie Lee Curtis mentioned her work on Freakier Friday, AppleTV+’s The Lost Bus, and a series based on Patricia Cornwell’s Scarpetta novels, saying:

“At 66, I get to be a boss.”

Jamie Lee Curtis said she had long expected roles to dry up with age, having watched the careers of her parents, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, fade over time.

“I have been self-retiring for 30 years,” she said.

Despite a commercially successful filmography, she recalled decades of being excluded from serious roles and industry recognition.

“They’re not asking me to their lunch,” she said of Women In Film events.

Her 2023 Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress in the A24 film Everything Everywhere All at Once changed that. Jamie Lee Curtis said the recognition of the Academy Awards helped revive stalled projects and allowed her to push for a theatrical release of Freakier Friday instead of a release on streaming platforms.

She recalled telling Disney executives, citing the crossover audience.

“Guys, I have one word for you: Barbie.”

Returning to Freaky Friday required her to engage with Hollywood beauty standards again, something she said was harder than her work on The Bear, where she played a more unkempt character.

That performance, as Donna Berzatto, was what she called "the most exhilarating creative experience," allowing her to express emotions she had not been able to tap into for many years.

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Jamie Lee Curtis's new film, Freakier Friday

Jamie Lee Curtis has reprised her role as Tess Coleman in Freakier Friday, a sequel to Disney’s 2003 film Freaky Friday, which starred Curtis alongside Lindsay Lohan. The movie was screened to members of the press ahead of its release on August 8, 2025.

According to Variety, the sequel is about Lindsay Lohan's character Anna, who now has a daughter and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. A magical incident results in a four-way body swap involving Anna, her daughter, stepdaughter, and mother Tess.

Curtis spoke to Variety at the Las Culturistas Culture Awards about her collaboration with Lindsay Lohan on the sequel. She talked about the experience of working together again after two decades, saying:

“She has taught me so much.”

Along with Curtis and Lohan, the cast of Freakier Friday includes Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Manny Jacinto, Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan.

The film follows in the footsteps of the original, which was itself based on Mary Rodgers’ 1972 novel. It was about the relationship between a widowed mother and her teenage daughter who magically swap bodies.

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Throughout the interview with The Guardian, Jamie Lee Curtis reflected on control and autonomy. She described her current phase as one where she can express herself freely and pursue creative projects without external limitations.