Why Jamie Lee Curtis ‘Hated’ Filming the ‘Great’ New Girl
Jamie Lee Curtis Reveals Why She Hated Filming New Girl (Even Though She Liked the Show)
What Happened?
Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis recently shared a surprising confession: she “hated” filming the hit comedy show New Girl.
She made this admission at a special event called NBCUniversal’s Summer Backlot Experience in Los Angeles. Even though she didn’t enjoy the process of making the show, she was quick to say the show itself is “great” and “very funny.”
Important Point
Jamie Lee Curtis played Joan, the mother of Zooey Deschanel’s character Jess, in five episodes. The dad was played by the late Rob Reiner. Zooey Deschanel once said having these two legends as her TV parents was “beyond my wildest dreams.”
The Big Difference: Single-Camera vs. Multi-Camera Shows
To understand why Jamie hated filming New Girl, you need to know how TV comedies are made. There are two main styles:
1. Single-Camera Comedies (Like New Girl, The Office, Modern Family)
- Shot like a movie.
- One camera films each scene from different angles, one piece at a time.
- No live audience.
- Dead silent on set while actors perform.
- Laughter is added later (or not at all).
2. Multi-Camera Sitcoms (Like Friends, Seinfeld, Anything But Love)
- Shot like a play.
- Multiple cameras film at the same time in front of a live studio audience.
- Actors rehearse all week, then perform in front of real people who laugh, clap, and react.
- The energy of the audience helps the actors.
Important Point
Jamie Lee Curtis loves the multi-camera style. She calls it “a dance with the cameras” and says she enjoys rehearsing, learning a joke, and playing it for a live crowd.
Jamie’s Experience on New Girl
| What She Said | What It Means (ELI5) |
|---|---|
| “It’s just like doing a movie.” | No live audience, no instant feedback. |
| “You’ve got a camera crew, and nobody laughs.” | The set is totally quiet while she acts. |
| “It’s silent, and it’s awful. For me, awful.” | She misses the energy of people laughing with her. |
| “Single-camera comedies, for me, not fun.” | This style simply doesn’t make her happy. |
Even though she didn’t like how it was made, she still thinks New Girl is a good show. The series ran from 2011 to 2018 and got even more popular when it landed on Netflix.
Her Favorite Job Ever: Anything But Love
Jamie looked back on her 1980s sitcom Anything But Love (co-starring Richard Lewis) with pure joy:
- “It was my favourite job I’ve ever had.”
- She’s 68 years old and has told her agents every single year: “I want to do a sitcom.”
- She loves every part of it: the rehearsals, the camera choreography, the live laughter.
Her Wish Came True: Newlyweds
After begging her agents for another multi-camera sitcom, Jamie got her dream job.
Her New Show: Newlyweds
- She co-created it.
- She executive produces it.
- She guest-stars in it.
- She’s the boss.
Important Point
Jamie laughed and said: **“I like to refer to myself as the HBIC — Head B*h In Charge.”
She added: “I’m 68 years old. I’ve wanted to be a boss my whole life. I’ve been doing it not as a boss for a long, long time. And now I’m a boss, and I love it.”
Summary
- Jamie Lee Curtis hated filming New Girl because it’s a single-camera comedy — silent, no audience, “awful” for her.
- She still thinks the show is funny and great.
- She played Jess’s mom in 5 episodes; Rob Reiner played the dad.
- Her favorite job ever was the multi-camera sitcom Anything But Love.
- She begged for another sitcom and got Newlyweds — where she’s the creator, producer, and boss (HBIC!).
- At 68, she’s finally living her dream: running a multi-camera sitcom with a live audience.
FAQ
What is a single-camera comedy?
A: It’s a TV show filmed like a movie — one camera, no live audience, and no laughter on set. New Girl, The Office, and Modern Family are examples.
What is a multi-camera sitcom?
A: It’s a show filmed like a play in front of a live studio audience with multiple cameras rolling at once. The audience laughs, claps, and gives instant energy. Friends, Seinfeld, and Anything But Love are examples.
Why does Jamie Lee Curtis prefer multi-camera shows?
A: She loves the rehearsal process, the “dance with the cameras,” and the live audience laughter. It makes her feel connected and energized.
What role did Jamie play on New Girl?
A: She played Joan, the mother of Zooey Deschanel’s character Jess, in five episodes.
What is Newlyweds and what is Jamie’s role?
A: Newlyweds is Jamie’s new multi-camera sitcom. She co-created it, executive produces it, and guest-stars in it. She calls herself the **HBIC (Head B*h In Charge) — the boss she always wanted to be.