Jamie Lee Curtis Pays Emotional Tribute to Late Actor Robert Carradine
Hollywood icon Jamie Lee Curtis is opening up about her poignant memories with the late actor Robert Carradine and his daughter Ever. The 67-year-old actress, who briefly dated Carradine before his tragic death by suicide at age 71, has shared a touching tribute to what she describes as her "first crush" in the entertainment industry.
A Public "Meet Cute" on Live Television
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Curtis recounted how she first met Carradine during a memorable appearance on the Dinah Shore show. "I woke up to the news that Robert Carradine died," she wrote. "We met live on television when they had a bunch of second-generation actors—what we would now call Nepo babies—including Veronica Cartwright. Bobby and I came on last, and he rearranged where we were all sitting so he could sit next to me and kissed me, live on television. It was a very public meet cute."
Forming a "Little Family" in Laurel Canyon
Curtis revealed how she became part of a "little family" with Carradine and his three-year-old daughter Ever, who is now a talented actress herself. She first met Ever under difficult circumstances when the young girl was recovering from a terrible burn in a hospital unit. "This little girl was wrapped in gauze with the biggest smile on her face and the most beautiful eyes," Curtis recalled.
The actress described their life together in a dirt-floored house in Laurel Canyon during the late 1970s. "It was my first experience with domesticity and motherhood and partnership," she shared. Curtis fondly remembered simple moments like walking with Ever to the local Canyon market and doing laundry together. "I remember folding her little clothes for the first time and the simplicity and beauty of Laurel Canyon in that era."
Connections Through Hollywood Relationships
Curtis also disclosed her close friendship with Melanie Griffith, who was Carradine's lover at the time. "Bobby had made a movie with Melanie Griffith and they were lovers," she explained. "Later in my life, Melanie and I became colleagues and ride-or-die best friends, and we remain so to this day. She was the one who told me about his passing."
Realizing Her First Cinematic Crush
The acclaimed actress shared a moment of realization about her feelings for Carradine. "Bobby was a racecar driver who drove fast and furious in a Corvette on Mulholland. It's a miracle we weren't killed," she said. "One day I remember the sun hitting his face, and I turned and looked at him and said, 'Wait, were you in the movie The Cowboys? Were you Slim?' He was my first crush in the movies, and I didn't realize it."
Curtis also noted Carradine's professional connection to her husband, Christopher Guest, through the film The Long Riders, where multiple sets of brothers portrayed historical brothers.
Through her emotional tribute, Jamie Lee Curtis has painted a vivid picture of a formative period in her life, honoring the memory of Robert Carradine while celebrating the enduring bonds formed during their time together.
