The Trading Places Scene Jamie Lee Curtis Regrets Filming
Jamie Lee Curtis has made her mark in the entertainment industry over the past four decades. After the success of the iconic 1978 slasher "Halloween," the actress starred in several well-received films, including John Landis' comedy "Trading Places." In the 1983 movie, Curtis portrayed Ophelia, a savvy and sweet sex worker. She decides to become a much-needed ally to Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd), who is destitute after his bosses made a cruel wager. She allows him to stay in her small apartment and shows kindness after he catches a fever. Ophelia and the commodities broker end up taking a liking to each other and seem to be an official couple by the end of the film.
Like many films of the 1980s, "Trading Places" has some aspects that can now easily be considered inappropriate and offensive. While speaking to People magazine in March 2022, Curtis shared that she specifically had a problem with one scene from the movie.
Jamie Lee Curtis disliked one scene
During the People interview, Curtis shared she was uncomfortable with the nudity in the comedy, specifically when Ophelia disrobes in front of Louis. She catches him staring and covers her chest before telling him that he has to "sleep on the couch." Curtis explained that she was in her early 20s during the film's production, implying that she felt she had to film the arguably unnecessary scene due to her young age.
"[T]he part required Ophelia to take off her dress. Did I like doing it? No. Did I feel embarrassed that I was doing it? Yes. Did I look OK? Yeah. Did I know what I was doing? Yeah. Did I like it? No. Was I doing it because it was the job? Yes," stated Curtis. She then asserted that she "wouldn't do it today," partially because she is now a wife and mother.
Curtis, however, shared that she was grateful she portrayed Ophelia during a 2019 Vanity Fair interview. The actress explained she and Landis already had a working relationship, as she had narrated his 1982 documentary "Coming Soon." According to Curtis, after completing that project, he requested that she play Ophelia. The "Freaky Friday" star revealed that Landis had to convince Paramount Pictures to allow her to star in "Trading Places."
"I will always be incredibly grateful to him for having not only courage to say, 'no this is who I want,' but also for giving me this incredible opportunity," she said.