A sense of sweet sorrow filled Jamie Lee Curtis during a TODAY show interview on Tuesday.
The “Freakier Friday” actor stopped by the show to share the magic of her upcoming Disney comedy, “Ella McCay,” but the moment turned into something wonderfully unexpected, thanks to something blue Curtis spotted on host Craig Melvin.
“What’s the blue dot in your ear? Tell me the story,” Curtis asked.
“My daughter, years ago, she went to go get her ears pierced and she got cold feet, and in a moment of haste, I was like, ‘If I do it, will you do it?’ She’s like, ‘Yes!’” Melvin revealed.
“That’s gorgeous!” a gleeful Curtis responded. “That’s beautiful.”
Actor Jamie Lee Curtis embraces host Craig Melvin after emotional segment.
The two eventually discussed the film, which follows a hopeful young woman (Ella McCay, played by Emma Mackey) as she navigates her chaotic family and an unexpected plunge into politics, with Curtis portraying the main character’s aunt, Helen.
“What Ella McCay is going through is what I think we all are going through as a collective. We are all holding back. We’re all holding back our feelings of frustration and outrage,” the actor said.
Things took an emotional turn when Melvin brought up a heartfelt video message to Curtis from fitness icon Susan Powter. The “Halloween” actor shared a personal connection with Powter as the executive producer of the documentary “Stop the Insanity: Finding Susan Powter.”
Jamie Lee Curtis attends a special screening of “Ella McCay” at the Museum of Modern Art on Dec. 2, 2025, in New York City.
Dominik Bindl via Getty Images
“My hand in yours, and I’m grateful it is,” Powter said before thanking Curtis — who turned teary-eyed while listening — for giving so much of herself to “thousands and thousands of people.”
Powter then punctuated the message with, “Thank you, Jamie Lee Curtis.”
“It’s why we’re here,” Curtis responded, voice catching with emotion. “It’s why you love what you do. It’s why you said to your daughter, ‘You know what, if I get it, will you get it?’ And you did.”
After some discussion about a Ken Burns documentary, Curtis expressed admiration to Melvin for keeping the earring, as well as to the show’s producers for allowing him to do so.
“I’m glad that you were able to say, ’This is important to me. This is my daughter, my connection to my daughter,” Curtis concluded.
