Jamie Lee Curtis Shares Heartbreaking News About Relative & Touching Tradition

The beloved actress's older sister left this world the same way she lived it: at home and surrounded by nature. But the words she always used to say goodbye are what's staying with people.

Jamie Lee Curtis took to social media on May 30, 2026, to announce the passing of her older sister, Kelly Lee Curtis, 69. The tribute she shared was filled with warmth, specific memories, and one goodbye tradition that nobody who reads it will forget anytime soon.

A Life Fully Lived

Jamie's Instagram tribute painted Kelly as someone with an unmistakable presence and very specific passions. She described her as "jaw droppingly [sic] beautiful" and a talented actress who played a fierce game of hearts, loved thrifting, and was genuinely devoted to Pokémon Go.

Kelly was incredibly proud of her Danish and Hungarian Jewish ancestry and was, in the actress's words, "a devoted American patriot." She was known for her loving generosity and fierce opinions, and at Christmas, her signature powdered-almond crescent cookies earned her the family nickname "Auntie Cookie."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kelly died in Bellevue, Idaho. No cause of death has been disclosed. The post was accompanied by a black-and-white vintage photo of Kelly wearing an old hair warmer, an image as timeless as the tribute beside it.

The Tradition She Always Followed

Then Jamie shared just a bit more. According to her, Kelly had a ritual she never abandoned: she closed every message and every goodbye the same way, with a Hungarian blessing.

"Kelly always signed off any message or fare thee well with a Hungarian blessing," Jamie wrote, "Isten Veled, God is with you." So, the famous actress ended her tribute with those same words: "Isten Veled to my sister of the sun and the moon, my Tai. I'll see you on down the line."

Hours later, Jamie shared a second post with a collage of photos from a deeply personal moment. On the evening of December 17, 1984, the night before Jamie's wedding, Kelly came to her apartment and slept over.

Kelly was her maid of honor, and their mutual friend, photographer Suzanne Tenner, came and captured the two sisters together that night. Suzanne sent Jamie the original contact sheet the day Kelly died, as a gesture of condolence.

Jamie reflected on the complexity of their bond with honesty. They were close as children but also competed for their divorced parents' attention, and their different personalities eventually led them to live apart for many years.

It was the wedding that brought Kelly back, and, as Jamie put it, she "never really left again." Kelly later worked for Jamie as her "assister-aunt" during a career gap and became, in Jamie's words, "an integral part of my family structure."

A Career Shaped by Talent and Family

Long before she became Jamie's right hand, Kelly had built a career of her own. Born on June 17, 1956, in Santa Monica, California, to legendary actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, she made her screen debut as an infant in the 1958 adventure film "The Vikings," which starred both of her parents.

She studied business at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, and worked briefly as a stockbroker before pursuing what she was clearly drawn to.

She trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, became a member of The Actors Studio, and made her stage debut in 1982 in "Say Goodnight, Gracie."

Her film and television work covered a wide range. She appeared alongside Jamie in "Trading Places" in 1983, took on a recurring role as Lieutenant Carolyn Plummer in the UPN series "The Sentinel" from 1996 to 1999, and showed up in episodes of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Judging Amy," among others.

She also directed the 2018 documentary "Marby Jets Are Go," about an Australian high school track team. Additionally, her connection to her Hungarian Jewish heritage ran deep, and she put it into action.

Together with her father, whose birth name was Bernard Schwartz, Kelly helped raise funds to restore the historic Dohány Street Synagogue in Budapest through the Emanuel Foundation, named after Tony's father.

Kelly is survived by her husband, filmmaker and professor John Marsh, with whom she ran the documentary production company Liberty Films. She is also survived by her brother-in-law, actor and director Christopher Guest, and her half-siblings Alexandra, Allegra, Ben, and Nicholas.

The Resemblance Fans Couldn't Ignore

On Facebook, condolences poured in alongside a reaction many fans couldn't help sharing: Kelly looked strikingly like their late mother, actress Janet Leigh.

One commenter wrote, "Sorry for your loss. Of course she was 'jaw droopingly beautiful', as are you. I mean, look at your parents! You're in my thoughts [sic]."

Another added, "Losing a sibling is heartbreaking. The love doesn't go away. Thank you for sharing her story with us. I'm holding you in my heart during this loss. ❤️"

The resemblance to Janet was impossible to miss for many. "Looks like ya momma ❤️so sad ❤️ [sic]," one person wrote, while another echoed, "Looks exactly like your mom."

A third commented, "Gosh, she looks like Janet....May she RIP....OR rip up the heaven's!!! [sic]." And one more couldn't get past the similarity either, writing, "Look like you shoulda been twins [sic]."

In another post on Instagram, people simply posted their condolences. One netizen wrote, "Poor Jamie 😢," another commented, "Still very young," and someone else expressed, "Much condolences for the family and friends of the family."

For Jamie, the loss is clearly profound, but so is the sense of peace she seems to be holding onto. She described herself as "buoyed by the knowledge" that Kelly is no longer in pain.

And perhaps that's the most fitting send-off for a woman who spent her whole life signing off with a blessing, reminding everyone around her that God was with them. Now, her family gets to believe the same about her.