Jamie Lee Curtis called herself the “product of 13 divorces.”
She fell in love with her future husband, Chris Guest, before they even met.
They have shared a unique connection for the past 38 years and have 2 kids.
They have been living happily in the same house for 30 years.
Jamie Lee Curtis is a Hollywood icon and a favorite for anyone fond of the “Halloween” movie franchise or even the 2003 film “Freaky Friday.” The actress seemed destined for fame, with actors Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis as her parents.
That said, the family didn’t fit the pristine, happy image one would expect. Although Curtis’ filmstar parents loved each other very much at the start, their marriage didn’t last. In 1962, Tony filed for divorce and the couple split.
This had a lasting effect on Curtis and, in many ways, shaped her views on love. Other divorces in her family also contributed to her hesitation to love, and she calls herself a “product of 13 divorces,” showing just how influential these failed marriages have been in her life.
Curtis’ parents did not have a happy, easy divorce. She has been in the public eye since she was young, which naturally also influenced her as well. Curtis opened up about growing up in the spotlight, saying she has been forced to “suck in her belly” since she was 11 years old.
She also spoke about how she tried to go in the exact opposite direction with her new movie, “Everything Everywhere, All at Once.” She specifically told the cast that nothing should be hidden.
Despite the bad things in her past and difficulties while growing up, the actress tries to focus on the good memories that she has. Being young was hard for Curtis, and growing older meant being more and more alone.
Luckily, Curtis found her spouse, Cristopher Guest, in 1984. Having a partner in life has helped her not only manage general day-to-day things but it has framed her view of love in a new way. Guest has also helped her overcome loneliness, and they’ve been inseparable for 38 years.
Curtis has always been a bold person, and she was no different when it came to finding a potential partner. The first time she saw her husband was in a “Rolling Stone” magazine. She knew right then and there that this would be the man she would marry.
On a whim, she contacted Guest’s agent and left her number with him with the hopes that Guest would call her. Unfortunately, he never took the bait. So she moved on and started dating another guy. The actress described him as sweet, but they both knew it wouldn’t work long-term.
Later, in 1984, the “Freaky Friday” star dropped off her short-lived love interest at the airport before he had a business trip. They said their last goodbyes, and she went to lunch in West Hollywood with some friends.
Curtis arrived at the restaurant and sat down with her friends. She looked around, and, as fate would have it, Guest was having lunch at the very same place. They locked eyes and shared a friendly greeting. Curtis described the scene with nostalgia:
“He waved to me as if to say, ‘I’m the guy you called.’ I waved back: ‘I’m the woman who called you.’”
He left soon after she sat down, but the very next day, she received a call. Guest asked for a date, and they agreed on a time and a place. A few days later, the two met at Chianti Ristorante on Melrose in Los Angeles, and they were seeing each other regularly after that.
In September of the same year, after Guest left to film a year’s worth of “Saturday Night Live” episodes, Curtis was on the phone with him. He told her how he walked down Fifth Avenue, mysteriously veering off from what he was actually going to say.
With “my [Curtis’] hand in his,” the two have seen each other through the highs and lows of life.
The actress inquired, “What were you doing there?” and Guest innocently replied by asking whether she liked diamonds. On December 18, 1984, the two celebrated their wedding. They’ve been together ever since and still live in the house that Curtis bought in 1992.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest at the Annenberg Space for Photography Opening Celebration for “Country, Portraits of an American Sound” in Century City, California, May 22, 2014 | Source: Getty Images
Their marriage is by no means perfect, but the two do all they can to smooth over any rough patches that arise in a constructive way. When asked about the secret to a long and successful marriage, Curtis responded with a cheeky grin, “Don’t get divorced.”
An Imperfect but Wonderful Life
Curtis and Guest celebrate their 38th wedding anniversary in 2022. Even after all these years, Curtis still confesses her love to her husband sincerely. In her message to Guest on their 36th anniversary, Curtis wrote about the comfort, contact, and connection that their relationship offers her.
With “my [Curtis’] hand in his,” the two have seen each other through the highs and lows of life. Their children have also been a big part of their lives. Their two adopted daughters, Annie, 35, and Ruby, 26, have helped them connect and form a stable family bond.
Curtis is a very proud mother and flaunts her two daughters at many events. Annie was adopted in the late 1980s, and Ruby in the early 90s. While the couple looked for Annie, Ruby’s adoption happened under lucky circumstances.
Jamie had the chance to witness Ruby’s birth first-hand. Due to a series of fortunate events, the “Halloween” star was not only present at her daughter’s birth but also had the opportunity to cut the umbilical cord and be the first to hold her baby. She commented on the experience:
“I thought I have very thoroughly lived a life. The birth of my [daughter] changed me.”
After nearly four decades of marriage, Curtis also looked back at her parents and their other relationships. Although her father had a few more unsuccessful relationships, Curtis looked to her mother and stepfather as role models for a long relationship.
The family lives in a beautiful Spanish Colonial Revival house in Los Angeles. The house is the same one that Curtis bought in 1992. The actress adores the house, and when her husband first saw it, he loved it as well.
The “Perfect” actress says with positivity that she can make almost any house a home. Her house reflects this attitude. The kitchen tends to be the center of the house, and while everything seems perfect, the family believes things can still be worked on. Guest commented:
“I think it’s like anything: It’s a work in progress. This house is going to keep living.”
Curtis describes her marriage as a “very real” one and says that it has had its challenges. When she saw her husband in the “Rolling Stone” pages, she thought she would understand him easily. In reality, their marriage is imperfect, but they’ve managed to build a wonderful life together.