On the morning of April 28, 2025, a dramatic scene unfolded on a busy stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles, California, when Hollywood icon Jamie Lee Curtis, 66, was involved in a car crash that could have turned tragic. Fortunately, her longtime friend and fellow actress Jodie Foster, 62, was nearby and sprang into action, earning praise for her quick thinking and bravery. The incident, which involved a collision with a distracted driver, not only highlighted the dangers of reckless driving but also showcased the deep bond between two of Hollywood’s most beloved stars, leaving fans and onlookers in awe of Foster’s heroic response.

Curtis, known for her roles in Halloween and the upcoming Freakier Friday, was driving her SUV through Malibu on her way to a meeting for her next project, Sender, a psychological horror film she’s producing and starring in alongside Britt Lower and David Dastmalchian, as reported by Deadline on April 15, 2025. According to eyewitnesses, Curtis was traveling at a safe speed when a sedan, driven by a 29-year-old man later identified as Ethan Carter, swerved into her lane while texting. “It happened so fast,” said Maria Gonzalez, a tourist who witnessed the crash. “The sedan just cut right into her lane, and she had no time to react.” Carter’s vehicle collided with the front passenger side of Curtis’s SUV, causing her to lose control and veer off the road, where her car struck a guardrail.

The impact was severe enough to deploy the airbags in Curtis’s vehicle, and initial reports suggested she might have sustained injuries. Bystanders immediately rushed to the scene, calling 911 as traffic came to a standstill. Amid the chaos, Jodie Foster, who happened to be driving a few cars behind Curtis, recognized her friend’s vehicle and pulled over without hesitation. Foster, a two-time Oscar winner and recent Emmy recipient for True Detective: Night Country in September 2024, had been on her way to a nearby café after dropping off her son Kit, 23, for a meeting. The timing of her presence on the highway was nothing short of serendipitous.

Foster’s quick response was captured on video by onlookers, a clip that later went viral, amassing over 12 million views on social media platforms like TikTok and X within 24 hours. In the footage, Foster can be seen running to Curtis’s SUV, her expression a mix of fear and determination. She reached the driver’s side door, which was jammed, and shouted to Curtis, “Jamie, can you hear me? I’m here!” Curtis, visibly shaken but conscious, nodded weakly through the cracked window. Foster then turned to the gathering crowd, calling for help to open the door. “We need to get her out—someone help me!” she yelled, her voice steady despite the urgency of the situation.

Two bystanders, a local surfer named Ryan Mitchell and a delivery driver named Carlos Rivera, assisted Foster in prying open the door. Once inside, Foster carefully unbuckled Curtis and helped her out of the vehicle, supporting her as they moved to a safe distance from the wreckage. Paramedics arrived within minutes, and Curtis was assessed on the scene. She sustained minor injuries—a sprained wrist and some bruising from the airbag—but was otherwise unharmed, thanks in large part to Foster’s swift intervention. “If Jodie hadn’t been there to get me out so quickly, I don’t know what would’ve happened,” Curtis later told The Los Angeles Times on April 29, 2025. “She was my guardian angel that day.”

The driver of the sedan, Ethan Carter, was also evaluated by paramedics and found to have minor injuries. He was cited for distracted driving, as police confirmed he had been texting at the time of the crash. The incident sparked renewed conversations about road safety in California, where distracted driving remains a leading cause of accidents. According to the California Highway Patrol, there were over 15,000 crashes involving distracted drivers in 2024 alone, resulting in hundreds of fatalities. Curtis, a Pacific Palisades resident, has been vocal about community issues in the past, notably during the recent Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025, when she donated $1 million to relief efforts, as reported by Yahoo News. This crash, however, brought the issue of road safety closer to home for the actress.

Foster and Curtis’s friendship dates back decades, rooted in their shared history with the Freaky Friday franchise. Foster starred in the original 1976 film, while Curtis took on the role of the mother in the 2003 remake alongside Lindsay Lohan. Their bond has only grown stronger over the years, with Foster describing Curtis as her “bestie” during a speech at the Disney Legends Ceremony in August 2024, where Curtis was honored, according to Pinkvilla. “She is inventive, fearless, and full of surprises,” Foster said at the time, a sentiment that proved prophetic in the wake of the car crash. Curtis, in turn, has often spoken of Foster’s loyalty, notably recalling how Foster presented her with a Golden Globe and supported her at significant career milestones, as mentioned in the same Pinkvilla report.

The viral video of Foster’s rescue touched a nerve with fans, who flooded social media with messages of admiration. “Jodie Foster is a real-life hero,” one X user wrote. “The way she ran to Jamie without a second thought—it’s pure love and friendship.” Another commented, “This is what Hollywood should be about—genuine people helping each other, not just posing for cameras.” The hashtag #JodieSavesJamie trended for hours, with many noting the poetic symmetry of Foster, who played a protective figure in films like The Silence of the Lambs, stepping into that role in real life.

Curtis was taken to a nearby hospital for further evaluation and released later that day. She issued a statement on Instagram on April 29, thanking Foster and the bystanders who helped at the scene. “I’m so grateful to be okay, and I owe that to Jodie and the kindness of strangers,” she wrote. “Let’s all be a little more careful on the roads—we never know what’s around the corner.” Foster, true to her private nature, did not comment publicly on the incident, but sources close to her told People that she was “shaken but relieved” that Curtis was safe. “Jodie didn’t think twice about helping,” the source said. “That’s just who she is.”

The crash also shed light on the enduring friendship between Foster and Curtis, a rarity in an industry often marked by fleeting alliances. Their shared experiences—both as actresses who have navigated the highs and lows of Hollywood, and as women who have balanced career with family—have forged a bond that transcends the typical celebrity friendship. Foster, who shares sons Charlie, 26, and Kit, 23, with her former partner Cydney Bernard, and is married to photographer Alexandra Hedison, has often spoken about the importance of family, a value she extended to Curtis in that critical moment on the highway. Curtis, a mother of two herself, has similarly emphasized community, as seen in her recent advocacy for wildfire victims in Los Angeles, as noted by Variety on January 9, 2025.

By May 1, 2025, the story of Jodie Foster’s rescue of Jamie Lee Curtis had become a symbol of friendship and bravery, reminding the world that even Hollywood legends face real-life challenges—and that true heroes emerge in the most unexpected moments. The incident on the Pacific Coast Highway was a stark reminder of the dangers of distracted driving, but it was also a testament to the power of human connection. Foster’s quick actions and unwavering loyalty to Curtis left everyone in tears, not just from the fear of what could have been, but from the overwhelming beauty of a friendship that proved stronger than any crash.