In the often cutthroat world of Hollywood, where friendships can be fleeting and alliances strategic, the bond between Jodie Foster and Jamie Lee Curtis stands out as a beacon of authenticity and loyalty. On May 29, 2025, as Curtis wrapped filming for her latest project, Freakier Friday, Foster made headlines by visiting the set with a thoughtful gift to celebrate her friend’s achievement—a gesture that encapsulates the depth of their 40-year friendship. The two actresses, both legends in their own right, have supported each other through personal and professional highs and lows, from car accidents to Oscar wins, forging a connection that transcends their shared Freaky Friday legacy. But how did Foster and Curtis meet, and what has sustained their remarkable bond over the decades?

Jodie Foster, 62, and Jamie Lee Curtis, 66, first crossed paths in the late 1970s, a time when both were young actresses navigating the complexities of Hollywood. Foster, born in 1962, had already made a name for herself as a child star, earning an Oscar nomination for Taxi Driver (1976) at just 14. Curtis, born in 1958 to Hollywood royalty Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, was on the cusp of her breakout role as Laurie Strode in Halloween (1978), which would establish her as a scream queen. While the exact moment of their meeting isn’t documented, their paths likely converged at industry events or through mutual acquaintances, given their overlapping circles as rising stars. Both were daughters of prominent actors—Foster’s mother, Evelyn “Brandy” Foster, managed her career, while Curtis grew up in the shadow of her parents’ fame—giving them a shared understanding of the pressures of growing up in the spotlight.

Their friendship deepened in the 1980s, a decade that saw both actresses expand their careers beyond their early roles. Foster transitioned into more dramatic roles, earning her first Oscar for The Accused (1988), while Curtis showcased her comedic talent in films like Trading Places (1983), for which she won a BAFTA. Despite their busy schedules, they maintained contact, bonding over their similar experiences as women in a male-dominated industry. A rumor from the early 1990s, mentioned in posts on platforms like Reddit, suggested a romantic encounter between the two at Spago restaurant, where they were allegedly seen “kissing and pulling their dresses up.” However, these claims remain unverified and are likely exaggerated, as both actresses have consistently described their relationship as a deep friendship. Curtis, who has been married to Christopher Guest since 1984, dismissed the rumors at the time, calling them “just good friends,” a sentiment Foster has echoed over the years.

A significant thread connecting Foster and Curtis is their shared history with Freaky Friday. Foster starred in the 1976 original as Annabel Andrews, the teenage daughter who swaps bodies with her mother, played by Barbara Harris, earning a Golden Globe nomination for her performance. Curtis took on the role of the mother, Tess Coleman, in the 2003 remake alongside Lindsay Lohan, delivering a performance that became a beloved classic for a new generation. This shared cinematic legacy has been a touchstone for their friendship, often mentioned in their public tributes to each other. At the 2024 Disney Legends Ceremony, where Foster and Lohan honored Curtis, Foster reflected on their connection, saying, “There are many things that my bestie Jamie and I have in common,” highlighting their “freaky” overlap with the franchise. Curtis, in turn, has called Foster “one of my besties,” a term she used again during her emotional tribute at the 2024 Oscars, where Foster was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Nyad.

Their bond has been tested and strengthened by moments of crisis. In August 2013, Curtis was involved in a car accident in Venice, California, when the black Yukon SUV she was a passenger in collided with a BMW. She sustained minor injuries and was briefly hospitalized, but the incident left her shaken. According to reports from E! Online and The Independent, Curtis called Foster from the scene, and Foster rushed to her side within minutes, arriving before the ambulances to comfort her friend. The image of Foster standing by Curtis’s side, captured by onlookers, became a powerful symbol of their loyalty. Curtis later confirmed she was “fine” and resting at home, but the incident underscored the depth of their friendship—Foster’s immediate response showed she was someone Curtis could rely on in her darkest moments.

Over the years, Foster and Curtis have celebrated each other’s successes with equal fervor. When Curtis won Best Supporting Actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once at the 2023 Oscars, Foster was among her biggest cheerleaders, despite not attending the ceremony. Curtis returned the favor in 2024, presenting the Best Supporting Actress award at the Oscars and delivering a moving tribute to Foster, who was nominated for Nyad. “I am beyond proud to be able to talk about one of my besties,” Curtis said, praising Foster’s “abundant Academy Award-winning talent” and her “fierce dedication to her work” over nearly 60 years. Foster, visibly emotional, blew kisses to Curtis from the audience, a moment that captured their mutual admiration. Curtis concluded her speech by saying, “There is no one you would rather have your back than the multi-talented Jodie Foster,” a sentiment that resonates with their history of support.

Their friendship extends beyond public gestures into their private lives. Both are part of a tight-knit group of “besties” who share a text chain, as Curtis revealed on the Today show in January 2024. The group, which includes their spouses—Foster’s wife, Alexandra Hedison, and Curtis’s husband, Christopher Guest—does “everything together,” from casual lunches to milestone celebrations. At Foster’s hand-and-footprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in April 2024, Curtis introduced her friend, noting the symbolic coincidence that the event fell on Foster and Hedison’s 10th wedding anniversary. “The stars have indeed aligned, the circle of creativity and community and friendship is complete,” Curtis said, highlighting the interconnectedness of their lives. Foster, reflecting on the moment to Entertainment Tonight, gushed, “I love her… She bosses us around a lot, but usually I only see her in our pajamas.”

In 2025, their friendship remains as strong as ever, as evidenced by Foster’s visit to the Freakier Friday set on May 29. Curtis had just wrapped filming the sequel to her 2003 hit, a project that reunites her with Lohan and introduces new characters played by Julia Butters and Manny Jacinto. The film, directed by Nisha Ganatra and set for release on August 8, 2025, promises “twice as much body-swapping” as the original, with Curtis reprising her role as Tess Coleman. Foster, fresh off the success of A Private Life at Cannes—where the film received an eight-minute standing ovation—arrived with a custom-made photo album filled with memories from their Freaky Friday experiences, a gesture that moved Curtis to tears. “My bestie Jodie Foster surprised me on the set of Freakier Friday with the most beautiful gift,” Curtis wrote on Instagram, sharing a video of the moment that quickly went viral.

The photo album included behind-the-scenes shots from the 1976 and 2003 films, as well as recent moments like Curtis’s speech at Foster’s 2024 ceremony and their Oscars exchange. Foster’s handwritten note—“To my bestie Jamie, You continue to inspire me with your talent, heart, and fearlessness”—encapsulated their mutual admiration. The gesture was particularly poignant given rumors that Ganatra had “begged” Foster for a cameo in Freakier Friday, which Foster declined, likely due to her commitments to A Private Life. Her visit showed that even without appearing on screen, she wanted to support Curtis’s milestone in a meaningful way.

Foster and Curtis’s friendship is a testament to the power of genuine connection in an industry often defined by its challenges. Both have navigated the pressures of fame—Foster as a child star who became a serious dramatic actress, and Curtis as a scream queen who evolved into a comedic and dramatic force. They’ve also faced personal trials, from Curtis’s 2013 accident to Foster’s grief over her mother’s death in 2019, and have been there for each other through it all. Their shared experiences as mothers—Foster to Charles and Kit, and Curtis to Annie and Ruby—have further deepened their bond, as has their commitment to authenticity in an industry that often demands conformity.

As Curtis prepares for the release of Freakier Friday and Foster continues to shine with projects like A Private Life, their friendship remains a constant source of strength. They’ve shown that true friendship in Hollywood isn’t about shared screen time—though fans still hope for a future collaboration—but about being there when it matters most. From rushing to each other’s side in times of crisis to celebrating each other’s victories, Foster and Curtis have built a bond that is as enduring as their legacies, proving that in the unpredictable world of fame, the best relationships are the ones rooted in love, trust, and mutual respect.