Jamie Lee Curtis Opens Up On 27 Years of Sobriety, Calls Addiction A 'Daily Prison'

Jamie Lee Curtisis one of the most beloved actresses working today, thanks to roles in movies like the Oscar-winning “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and the comedy “Freaky Friday.” For years, she’s been open about how she previously suffered from addiction before gaining the tools to live a sober life. Now, she’s celebrating 27 years of sobriety and commemorated the milestone on social media. 

The "Freaky Friday" star posted a heartfelt message on Instagram on February 3 about her sobriety. She began, "27 years ago, I had pain and sorrow. I reached out my hand, and my old colleague and friend, Richard Lewis, reached out and took my hand." Curtis then began to discuss what it took for her to get sober.

She said, "The miracle of sobriety is that it just takes one other person to relate to how you're feeling, and THAT can change everything. Richard introduced me to many others, and for these 27 years, I have met so many people who share our common link of addiction and recovery from that daily prison."

Additionally, she stated that she plans to continue helping "others in need" on their sobriety journeys. Ultimately, Curtis included a link to the CLARE Foundation, a nonprofit that provides treatment for various forms of addiction. She also included a link to Friendly House LA, a program that specializes in helping women recover from addiction.

After making the vulnerable social media post, Curtis received an outpouring of support from fans in the comments section. First, fellow actress Tracee Ellis Ross said, "Happy 27, my friend! Love you." Someone else said, "Congratulations on 27 years. Every day we make a choice. And I’m proud of you for making it every day. I’m 6 and a half years sober."

A different Instagram user replied, "I’m coming up on 7 years sober this month! Congratulations. A different person also knew her friend and mentor, whom she mentioned in her post. They said, "I met Richard at the UCLA book fair when I first got sober around 2000. He was promoting his book. I whispered to him as I got it signed, 'I am six months sober,' and he said to me, 'You’re my hero too.'"

Someone else said, "27 years of fully living, it’s a beautiful thing! I’m in my 22nd and loving each and every moment. Huge congratulations and hugs." Finally, Rita Wilson wrote, "What an inspiration you are. As are the many others who have chosen recovery. Brava!!!"

Curtis celebrated 24 years of sobriety in 2023 and appeared on "The Morning Joe" in the days after her anniversary. During the interview, she spoke about how fortunate she was that her battle with addiction didn't negatively alter her life in the way it has for others.

She said, "I'm lucky. I didn't make terrible decisions high or under the influence that then, for the rest of my life, I regret. There are women in prison whose lives have been shattered by drugs and alcohol, not because they were violent felons, not because they were horrible people, but because they were addicts."

The actress added, "I am incredibly lucky that that wasn't my path." She stated that for her, sobriety made life "crystal and clear." Curtis also said, "I was an opiate addict, and I liked a good opiate buzz. And if fentanyl was available, as easily available as it is today on the street, I'd be dead."

Curtis interviewed with PEOPLE in 2018 and revealed that she attended her first recovery meeting in February 1999. Additionally, it was the same day that she told her husband, Christopher Guest, that she suffered from opiate addiction. She told the outlet, "I’m breaking the cycle that has basically destroyed the lives of generations in my family."

She continued, "Getting sober remains my single greatest accomplishment… bigger than my husband, bigger than both of my children, and bigger than any work, success, failure. Anything."

Curtis also discussed her presence in the recovery meetings, saying, "In recovery meetings, anyone who brings up opiates, the entire room will turn and look at me, because I’ll be like, 'Oh, here, talk to me. I’m the opiate girl.'"

Regarding the nature of her addiction, the actress shared, "I was ahead of the curve of the opiate epidemic. I had a 10-year run, stealing, conniving. No one knew. No one."

Amid celebrating 27 years of sobriety, Curtis is also releasing a new movie, "The Only Living Pickpocket in New York." The film premiered in January 2026 at the Sundance Film Festival. The crime thriller will be screened at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 20.

The cast also includes John Turturro, Tatiana Maslany, Giancarlo Esposito, and Steve Buscemi. It's unclear when it will arrive in movie theaters. In additon to the upcoming crime-thriller, per IMDb, Curtis has several projects in various stages of development, including the horror film "Sender," set for a 2026 release.