Jamie Lee Curtis Says Goodbye to Halloween, Talks ‘Sender,’ and Reacts to Scary Movie 6
Jamie Lee Curtis has always been one of those actresses I’ve followed not just for what she does on screen, but for the choices she makes off of it. Yes, she’s one of the most iconic “final girls” of all time, but she’s never stayed boxed into that. If anything, she’s spent years making it clear that horror is just one part of a much bigger career and that she’s more interested in stories that feel original, unexpected, and a little unsettling in a different way.
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That’s exactly what drew her to Sender.
Sender (2026) is a psychological horror-thriller produced by and starring Curtis, premiering at South by Southwest in March 2026. Directed and written by Russell Goldman, the film stars Britt Lower as a woman in recovery who becomes increasingly paranoid after receiving strange, unsolicited packages — diving into the unsettling reality of “brushing” scams. The cast also includes Rhea Seehorn, David Dastmalchian, and Anna Baryshnikov.
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“This story originated with me,” Curtis said, immediately making it clear how personal this project is.
The idea came from a real moment involving her sister, who received a package she never ordered — walking sticks that showed up out of nowhere.
“She called me saying, ‘Did you send them to me?’ And I said no.”
What seemed random turned into something much stranger.
“As she researched it, we found out it was a brushing scam… an internet-feeding scam.”
Curtis didn’t just brush it off — she leaned in.
“I was like, ‘Russell, this is creepy as heck. We should do something with this.’”
That “something” turned into a short film after the filmmaker she collaborated with had an even more unsettling version of the same experience.
“He wrote a short… he made a short… and then he told me one day, ‘I am turning this into a feature.’”
Now, that feature is premiering at SXSW — and it feels very of-the-moment. Not traditional horror, but something quieter and more realistic, rooted in technology, algorithms, and the idea that we’re all a little more exposed than we think.
Done With Laurie Strode
Even as she pushes forward with new stories, the past always comes up — especially when it comes to Laurie Strode.
With Anna Faris parodying Laurie in Scary Movie 6, I had to ask.
Curtis didn’t hesitate.
“I’ve said goodbye. I bowed. I curtsied.”
And just to make it clear she meant it:
“I took it, I made him into Hamburger Helper — and now I’m done.”
It wasn’t dismissive — just definitive. She’s moved on, and she seems completely at peace with that.
Keeping It Real About Speaking Out
The conversation shifted briefly to something bigger — using your voice, especially in difficult global moments.
Curtis didn’t try to overstate her role.
“I’m not a freedom fighter,” she said plainly, acknowledging that there are people doing far more on the front lines.
But she didn’t ignore the reality either.
“It’s horrific what’s happening… all hearts go out to those family members.”
Rather than turning it into a political statement, she kept it focused on people — the families, the civilians, the human cost.
“I hope that your family is okay… and I hope obviously that the conflict ends quickly.”
A Different Kind of Fear
What stands out most about Sender is how grounded it is.
There’s no exaggerated setup, it’s based on something that actually happened, and something that could easily happen again. That’s the kind of detail that makes the film’s premise land. It’s not distant or fictional, it’s familiar. And that’s what makes it unsettling.
