Even before winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ in 2023, Jamie Lee Curtis was already a legend. From her debut in ‘Halloween’ in 1978 to her memorable performances in 1980s comedies like ‘Trading Places’ and ‘A Fish Called Wanda’, and more recent works in ‘Knives Out’ and ‘The Bear’, the 65-year-old actress has cemented her status as a formidable force in Hollywood. It’s therefore somewhat unexpected that she agreed to star in ‘Borderlands’, Eli Roth’s new adaptation of the popular video game franchise. Despite being a self-proclaimed gamer, Curtis had never before starred in a video game adaptation, nor had she appeared in a purely mainstream sci-fi action picture. So why this sudden shift in her usual trajectory? The answer might surprise you.
In an interview with Digital Trends, the actress reveals the sole reason behind her decision to portray Dr. Patricia Tannis in the film. “I signed up to do the movie because Cate Blanchett was going to be in it, and I was going to be in scenes with her. Full stop,” she declares. “To be perfectly honest, if it had just been a movie about the dictionary, I would be like, ‘Cate Blanchett is going to be saying words, and I say words back to her?’ They would say, ‘Yes.’ I would say, ‘OK, I’m doing it.’”
Curtis further admits her lack of familiarity with the game prior to receiving the script. “I really didn’t know much about it [the game]. I knew what was on the page of the script, which is an adaptation of a game. It takes the lore of the character, but it doesn’t do it really [full] justice because you’re serving the narrative story of the movie.” However, she doesn’t express any regret about her decision. “I’m happy with how it all [came] together. A lot is going on.”
‘Borderlands’ is currently playing in theaters nationwide.
