Jamie Lee Curtis, Lady Haden-Guest (born November 22, 1958) is an American actress and author. She made her film debut in 1978 by starring as
Laurie Strode in
John Carpenter's
Halloween (1978). A big hit, the film established her as a notable actress in horror, and she subsequently starred in
Halloween II (1981),
The Fog (1980),
Prom Night (1980),
Terror Train (1980), and
Roadgames (1981), gaining the status of "
scream queen" to mainstream audiences. Curtis has since compiled a body of work that spans many genres, including the
cult comedy films
Trading Places (1983), for which she won a
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role,
A Fish Called Wanda (1988), and
True Lies (1994), for which she won a
Golden Globe for Best Actress in Musical or Comedy.