Jamie Lee Curtis Talks ‘Halloween Kills’ Reunion with Kyle Richards and Nancy Stephens
In a recent interview ahead of the world premiere screening of Halloween Kills tomorrow night (9/8/21) at the Venice Film Festival, Jamie Lee Curtis talked about her emotional reunion with her original Halloween 1978 co-stars Kyle Richards and Nancy Stephens when all three were on set reprising their roles for the new sequel.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, when asked what her most memorable moment was on Halloween Kills, Curtis says, “When I saw Kyle Richards and Nancy Stephens (from the original Halloween), I realized the passage of time and how long we’ve all been a part of this story. There was a moment where I ran into both of them early on. And it was very emotional because Kyle Richards was little Lindsey, a little girl I’m babysitting in [Halloween]. And she’s now a full-grown woman, living a very wonderful life. The passage of time was extraordinary. In this film, we are telling more of the story of Laurie Strode and Lindsay and Marion, Nancy’s character, and that we’re all survivors. And it was a great moment of survival and pride.”
When asked what has been the high point of her 43-year acting career, for which she will receive a lifetime achievement award at the Venice Film Festival, Curtis talked about an amazing tribute that took place on the set of the previous Halloween film. She said, “When I was making the 2018 Halloween, the last scene of the movie that I had to shoot was a moment where Laurie Strode is sitting alone in a pickup truck, watching Michael Myers headed to a supermax prison where he will spend the rest of his life. And she is seeing this person who has caused her 40 years of trauma being taken away. And the scene was just me alone in a truck. When we went to shoot it, it’s just my little truck with about 14 cameras around it and cranes and lights and a crew.
“I was in my trailer preparing for my work, which was going to be emotional, cathartic. It was described as a moment where Laurie sort of replays the 40 years since this first occurred.
“I’m someone who likes name tags because everybody knows my name, but often I don’t know anyone else’s. And so, whenever I start any project, I ask for everybody to wear a name tag.
“And this was now the end of the movie. This is me shooting my last scene before I was going to fly home to be back with my family. And when I approached the set, the entire crew were standing in silent solidarity with their hands behind their backs. And everyone was wearing a name tag. And the name tag said, ‘We are Laurie Strode.’ What they were saying was, ‘We are with you, Jamie, in this moment. And we know there’s nothing we can do to help you as you do this moment of work alone in a pickup truck. We believe in you, because we are you.’ I gotta tell you, that may be the high point of my career.”
HK has been rated “R” for what is described as “strong bloody violence throughout, grisly images, language, and some drug use.”
In addition to Jamie Lee Curtis reprising her iconic role as Laurie Strode, the cast includes Kyle Richards (read our interview here) reprising her 1978 role as Lindsey Wallace, Nancy Stephens reprising her 1978 role as Nurse Marion, Charles Cyphers reprising his 1978 role as Leigh Brackett, and Anthony Michael Hall, who will take over the role of Tommy Doyle from Brian Andrews, as well as Robert Longstreet as Lonnie Elam, and James Jude Courtney (watch our 2021 interview here) and Nick Castle continuing their collaboration as Michael Myers.
Also back from Halloween 2018 are Andi Matichak as Allyson, Judy Greer as Karen, and Dylan Arnold as Cameron Elam.
Directed by David Gordon Green from a script he co-wrote with Danny McBride and Scott Teems, Halloween Kills was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina. John Carpenter returns as an executive producer and has performed the music for the film with his band mates Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies.
The official synopsis: And the Halloween night when Michael Myers returned isn’t over yet.
Minutes after Laurie Strode (Curtis), her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) left masked monster Michael Myers caged and burning in Laurie’s basement, Laurie is rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, believing she finally killed her lifelong tormentor.
But when Michael manages to free himself from Laurie’s trap, his ritual bloodbath resumes. As Laurie fights her pain and prepares to defend herself against him, she inspires all of Haddonfield to rise up against their unstoppable monster.
The Strode women join a group of other survivors of Michael’s first rampage who decide to take matters into their own hands, forming a vigilante mob that sets out to hunt Michael down, once and for all.
Halloween Kills will be released on October 15, 2021.
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