The murder of Charlie Kirk shocked the world, leaving many grieving — including actress Jamie Lee Curtis, who broke down in tears discussing the tragedy. While some praised her compassion, others criticized her remarks, sparking backlash she has now addressed.
Days after Kirk’s death, Curtis spoke on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, saying she “disagreed with him on almost every point,” but still believed he was “a man of faith.” Through tears, she said she hoped Kirk “felt connected to his faith” in his final moments, despite finding his views “abhorrent.”
Curtis also reflected on the trauma of repeatedly seeing violent footage online, comparing videos of Kirk’s shooting to 9/11 imagery, and questioning their psychological toll.
Though many applauded her empathy toward someone with opposing beliefs, others accused her of sympathizing with Kirk’s controversial stances, including his rejection of transgender rights — a sensitive topic for Curtis, whose daughter is transgender.
Responding to the criticism in Variety, Curtis said her comments were misinterpreted: “It was a mistranslation. I wasn’t praising him — I was speaking about his faith.” She added that in today’s polarized climate, “You can’t hold two ideas at once without being vilified.”