Jamie Lee Curtis Recalls Selling 'Yogurt That Makes You S--- for 7 Years' as She Wins Guest Actress Emmy forThe Bear

Mar. 15, 2025

Jamie Lee Curtis as Donna Berzatto in ‘The Bear’.Photo:Chuck Hodes/FX

Chuck Hodes/FX

She may have only had a guest role, butJamie Lee Curtisleft her mark — and is now taking home the hardware for her performance!

On Sunday, Sept. 8, Curtis won outstanding guest actress in a comedy series at 2024 Creative Arts Emmys for her role as Donna Berzatto inThe Bear.With the win, Curtis beats out fellow nomineesOlivia Colman(The Bear),Kaitlin Olson(Hacks),Da’Vine Joy Randolph(Only Murders in the Building),Maya Rudolph(Saturday Night Live) andKristen Wiig(Saturday Night Live).

Taking the stage after her name was announced, Curtis, 65, told the crowd, “You know there’s a saying, ‘Hurt people, hurt people,’ but I also think you can add to that and say, ‘Helped people help people,’ and I think that’s the story ofThe Bear.”

“To be the source of someone’s pain is very difficult … It’s astonishing that I got this opportunity at this point in my life,” she continued, before highlighting the show’s cast and crew, which she said was “the ingredients of this beautiful, beautiful, beautiful piece of television … that I’m privileged to be in.”

Curtis later expressed her gratitude in the press room, telling reporters that she felt “lucky” after winning the prestigious award. She also looked back on her time starring in Activia yogurt commercials and joked about how far she had come since.

“I’m the luckiest girl in the world. I’ve been an actor since I was 19. I’m 65,” she said. “I’ve sold yogurt that makes you s— for seven years. And I just never thought in my life that I would get to do work at this level of depth and complexity and intelligence. And it’s just been the thrill of my creative life these last couple of years that I get these opportunities. So I’m humble and incredibly grateful.”

Jamie Lee Curtis.Kayla Oaddams/Getty

Kayla Oaddams/Getty

She added of the accomplishment: “I think we’re all underestimated, and as actors, you just hustle for a job, any job. And look at my career, I’ve done a lot of weird stuff because I just love the process. And to me, the perseverance and patience and belief in yourself, rejection, this is an industry filled with rejection. You are rejected every day, every day when you’re an actor. And to be 65 years old and having this happen is extraordinary.”

When asked if she was seeking out EGOT status one day, Curtis joked, “Well, I can’t sing at all, and I’ve never been on stage, actually. I’ve never done a play, and so I can’t imagine.”

“I don’t stay up that late… I don’t know if any of you ever paid attention to anything I’ve said, but at my age, about concerts being so late and why can’t Bruce Springsteen do a frickin' matinee?” she quipped. “So I am just not sure I would do so well in the theater since you go to bed so late. But you know what? I never thought any of this was going to be possible in my life at all.”

In particular, her erratic performance preparing Christmas Eve dinner in episode 6 titled “Fishes,” left a major mark with critics and fans alike — so much so that Curtis' fellow costar Bernthal also took home aguest actor Emmy on Sept. 8 for his acting in that episode.

Prior to joiningThe Bear, Curtis, who also appeared in the final episode of season 2, admitted that she had a premonition about her future on the show after watching it for the first time.

“When I saw the first episode last summer and Sugar asks Carmen if he had spoken to their mother, in that second I knew that I would play her. Don’t ask me how. I just knew,“she wrote on Instagramin June 2023. “A year later, after the wild success of the brilliant first season, Chris Storer offered me the role of a lifetime.”

“Thank you, Chris and the ENTIRE BEAR family of creative human beings and scene partners for allowing me in to let it rip!” she concluded.

Besides Curtis, this year’s category was quite competitive with the other nominee’s memorable onscreen performances.

Olivia Colman on ‘The Bear’.FX

FX

FellowBearstar Colman, 50, earned her nomination after portraying Chef Andrea Terry, the British executive chef at Ever, the fine dining restaurant where Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) stages.

“She’s just incredibly established, but sincere,” Storer said of working with Colman. “She’s warm, kind, and very normal. She was just as excited to be there as we were to have her, which was kind of cool.”

Kaitlin Olson on ‘Hacks’.John Johnson/Max

John Johnson/Max

Olson, 49, made her debut on Max’sHacksas DJ, the troubled daughter of Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance.

In an interview withThe Hollywood Reporterin June, the actress admitted, “I don’t like being a guest star on other people’s shows,” but agreed to sign on after producer Mike Schur promised her a juicy part on the series.

“The writing was so good and so smart,” she recalled. “It’s very uncommon to find a smart, funny show that organically weaves in real emotion. It’s done badly a lot. I just couldn’t say no to it.”

Da’Vine Joy Randolph on ‘Only Murders in the Building’.Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu

Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu

Randolph, 38, was nominated for her performance as Detective Donna Williams inOnly Murders in the Buildingseason 3, episode 8.

The actress was first introduced to fans in season 1 of the series. While episode 8 is the only time she appears in season 3, Randolph toldThe Hollywood Reporterof how her appearance in the third installment came to be.

“John Hoffman [co-creator] was like, ‘If I can make it happen, I want it to be worth your while,’ and he definitely delivered,” she added.

Maya Rudolph on ‘Saturday Night Live’.Will Heath/NBC/Getty

Will Heath/NBC/Getty

Rudolph, 52, was nominated for her hosting stint on Saturday Night Live. While hosting this year’s Mother’s Day episode in May, the comedian kept audiences laughing with a special musical monologue titled, “I’m Your Mother.” The track also received a nomination for outstanding original music and lyrics.

“It is so good to be back, and for the Mother’s Day episode,” she told the audience. “And for me it’s extra special because I am a four-time mom. That’s right, I have four beautiful kids — that I know of.” she jokingly continued.

SNLcast membersBowen Yangand Sarah Sherman then joined Rudolph on stage to wish her Happy Mother’s Day, before Yang explained: “Maya, look, you’re not just a mom, you’remother.”

Kristin Wiig on ‘Saturday Night Live’.Saturday Night Live/YouTube

Saturday Night Live/YouTube

Like Rudolph, Wiig, 51, was also nominated for her April hosting stint onSaturday Night Live.

Her appearance earned her entrance into the show’s five-timers club, the ever-growing ranks of stars who have alsohosted the sketch show five times or morein its 48-year history.

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The 2024 Creative Arts Emmys will air Saturday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. ET on FXX, and can also be streamed on Hulu from Sept. 15 through Oct. 9.

source: people.com