Hollywood star Jamie Lee Curtis was left visibly emotional during a live television appearance this week after receiving a surprise and heartfelt tribute from Susan Powter, the iconic fitness and motivational speaker of the 1990s.
A Surprise Message Brings Tears
The Halloween actress, 67, was appearing on NBC's Today show on Tuesday to promote her new film, Ella McCay, when host Craig Melvin played a pre-recorded video message from Powter. The clip completely caught Curtis off guard.
In the message, Powter expressed profound gratitude for Curtis's support and kindness. "My hand in yours and I'm so grateful it is," Powter said. "The only thing we have in this life is our time, our energy and our love and you give those three things to thousands and thousands of people. Thank you, Jamie Lee Curtis."
The tribute proved too much for Curtis, whose eyes welled up with tears as she struggled to compose herself. Her emotional state was already heightened following a touching earlier conversation with Melvin, who shared a personal story about getting his ear pierced to support his then nine-year-old daughter, Sybil.
From $50 Million a Year to Driving for Uber Eats
The poignant moment underscored a dramatic contrast in fortunes. Susan Powter, now also 67, was once a powerhouse brand, earning an estimated $50 million a year in the mid-90s through her nutrition advice, personal training, and bestselling "Stop the Insanity!" programme. However, she later declared bankruptcy and has faced significant financial hardship.
Powter now lives in a low-income senior community in Las Vegas, works as an Uber Eats driver, and has revealed she uses a cardboard box as a nightstand. She told People magazine last year that she receives two free meals a week and saves money "obsessively".
She has taken full responsibility for her financial downfall, admitting to Today this week, "I take full responsibility. I never checked. I never said, 'Where's the money?'... I just walked away. I did it very intentionally."
The Documentary That Reunited Them
Powter's current life and her journey from fame to obscurity are the subject of an upcoming documentary, Stop the Insanity: Finding Susan Powter. The film's director, Zeberiah Newman, went to extraordinary lengths to locate Powter, who had retreated from public life.
In a remarkable twist, Newman finally tracked her down by ordering food for delivery. "I delivered a Burger King order and I got a text that said 'Susan Powter,' and I froze inside," Powter recalled at a recent speaking engagement. Newman then revealed he had been searching for her for a year to make a documentary.
After connecting with Powter, Newman contacted his friend, Jamie Lee Curtis, who immediately signed on as an executive producer. "She called me two minutes later," Newman said, "and the next day she said, 'Go back to Vegas and start filming immediately.'"
Curtis told People that Powter's story is one of a powerful woman's voice being diminished. "Like so many women's stories, Susan's power and her light was diminished, denigrated and dismissed," the actress said.
The documentary, Stop the Insanity: Finding Susan Powter, will be available on Video On Demand from 9th December. Meanwhile, Curtis continues to promote Ella McCay, in which she plays the aunt to Emma Mackey's title character, a role she describes as a joy after "falling in love" with Mackey upon meeting her.
