Jamie Lee Curtis Reveals Her Hair Was ‘Burned Off’ After Bleaching Mishap

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Jamie Lee Curtis is looking back at an unexpected hair disaster that happened early in her Hollywood career.

The Oscar-winning actress, 67, recently revealed that her hair had been severely damaged after undergoing chemical treatments for a movie, leaving her with a much shorter hairstyle.

Curtis made the revelation after appearing on NBC’s “Today” show Wednesday, Oct. 28, where she was surprised with footage from an interview she did nearly 45 years ago.

According to PEOPLE, the throwback clip showed Curtis appearing on the morning program Oct. 31, 1981, sporting short blonde hair while speaking with former host Tom Brokaw.

During the original interview, Curtis was promoting the release of “Halloween II,” which was hitting theaters the same weekend that the first “Halloween” movie was scheduled to air on NBC.

Brokaw joked that the network stood for “Nothing But Curtis” because of her appearances that weekend.

“Somebody told me this on the radio the other day and I thought it was so sweet,” Curtis said at the time.

After watching the footage, Curtis appeared surprised and delighted as current “Today” co-host Carson Daly brought back the decades-old joke.

“Well, we said it back in 1981 and we are saying it again today. NBC stands for ‘Nothing But Curtis,'” Daly told her.

Jamie Lee Curtis Explains What Happened to Her Hair

Following her appearance, Curtis shared the throwback clip and her reaction on Instagram, explaining what happened to her hair.

“My hair had been burned off my head after getting it bleached for a movie and then a perm,” she wrote.

“Weird to see the past in the present. Thrilled to be back,” she added, tagging NBC and including the hashtag #nothingbutcurtis.

Although Curtis didn’t identify the movie responsible for the bleaching, this wasn’t the first time she had spoken about the experience.

According to The List, Curtis previously revealed in a 2022 Instagram post that her hair broke off following a bad perm on top of bleached hair in 1983.

She recalled visiting celebrity hairstylist José Eber, who gave her what she described as her first great short haircut.

The experience eventually helped Curtis discover the pixie cut that would become her signature hairstyle.

Over the years, Curtis continued experimenting with different looks before embracing her natural gray hair and shorter cuts.

In April 2025, she shared another Instagram post celebrating her return to her signature pixie after growing out her hair for an acting role.

“Okay, now I look like me,” she recalled thinking after getting her haircut.

Jamie Lee Curtis Embraces Her Signature Look While Promoting New Show

Curtis has since become known for embracing her natural appearance and speaking openly about aging in Hollywood.

In a 2025 interview with AARP, she explained that she no longer feels the same pressure to maintain her appearance.

“I have really let go of my vanity,” Curtis said. “I am free, totally free.”

Meanwhile, her latest appearance on “Today” was part of her promotional tour for NBC’s new sitcom, “The Newlyweds.”

Curtis serves as an executive producer and stars in the comedy, which follows a couple navigating marriage later in life.

The series features real-life married couple Téa Leoni and Tim Daly, who play Jeanie and James, two people who marry after a whirlwind romance.

Speaking with PEOPLE about the project, Curtis explained that she hopes the series encourages viewers to believe in finding love at any age.

“For all the Boomers out there, for all the single Boomers out there, for all the people that believe in the possibility of love, watching a real couple create this experience for you? It’s infectious,” she said.