Jamie Lee Curtis announces death of sister Kelly Lee Curtis at 69 in emotional tribute
Jamie Lee Curtis has announced the death of her sister Kelly Lee Curtis, remembering the actress as her ‘first friend and lifelong confidant’.
Hollywood actress Jamie Lee Curtis has announced the death of her older sister, actress Kelly Lee Curtis, sharing an emotional tribute celebrating the woman she called her “first friend and lifelong confidant”.
Kelly died on Saturday aged 69, with Jamie revealing the news in a heartfelt Instagram post.
“A warm aloha to my older sister, Kelly Lee Curtis. She passed away this morning. In her home. In nature. At peace.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“She was my first friend and lifelong confidant. She was jaw droppingly beautiful, and a talented actress. She played a mean game of hearts, collected turtles, loved her family, nature, music, thrifting, travel, Facebook, and Pokémon Go. She was proud of her Danish roots and Hungarian Jewish ancestry and was a devoted American patriot,” she wrote.
Jamie’s tribute painted a vivid picture of Kelly’s personality and passions, remembering her not only as a performer but as a fiercely individual and deeply loved member of the Curtis family.
“She will be remembered for her loving generosity, fierce opinions, endless curiosity, unique style, and her powdered, almond, crescent cookies at Christmas, hence her name, Auntie Cookie.
“Kelly always signed off any message or fare thee well with a Hungarian blessing…
“Isten Veled, God is with you.“
Kelly Lee Curtis was born into Hollywood royalty as the daughter of screen legends Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.
Like her younger sister Jamie, she followed her parents into acting and built a career spanning film and television.
Kelly made her screen debut in the historical adventure film *The Vikings*, appearing alongside both her famous mother and father.
She later shared the screen with Jamie in the 1983 comedy *Trading Places*, which also starred Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche and Denholm Elliott.
Her acting credits also included Magic Sticks and the 1991 Italian horror film The Devil’s Daughter, while television audiences knew her from appearances in The Equalizer, Hunter, Silk Stalkings, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Judging Amy.
The Curtis sisters both faced scrutiny early in their careers over claims of nepotism tied to their famous surname and Hollywood upbringing.
Jamie has previously addressed those criticisms, acknowledging the family connection while defending her own work.
“I guarantee you, the fact that my mother was in Psycho was a determining factor that maybe that will get them a little extra publicity,” she told CBS News in January:
“Now, did it get me to that final two? No, my auditions got me to the final two.”
-With Newswire
