Jamie Lee Curtis takes on the role of the famous Madame Leota in Disney’s latest version of Haunted Mansion. The Academy Award-winning actress brilliantly portrays the iconic psychic whose floating head has captivated children visiting Disney parks, where the film’s inspiration originates. While the scream queen strived for authenticity in her performance, not all her efforts went smoothly.
Directed by Justin Simien, Haunted Mansion 2023 boasts an impressive cast, including Rosario Dawson, Danny DeVito, and Jared Leto. The project remained in development hell for a long time until Disney took it up again in August 2020.
The Attempt To Put Jamie Lee Curtis’s Head In A Real Crystal Ball
The scariest thing happened on set when the production tried to fit Jamie Lee Curtis’s head inside a real crystal ball. The aim was to capture the essence of Madame Leota in its entirety. Justin Simien shared his thoughts on this failed attempt:
“It was certainly encased in a lot of motion detector cameras. There was a ball on set. I think we had it so that if Jamie wanted to get in this thing and suffocate in order to act off of the other actors, it was technically possible, but I don’t think that lasted.”
Later, the crew had to ditch the attempt and shoot the scenes using a CGI crystal ball. Although the audience only sees her head inside the CGI ball, Jamie Lee Curtis managed to deliver an exceptional performance, skillfully emulating the Disney character.
Also Read: Haunted Mansion Review: Right Idea, Wrong Season
What Does Jamie Lee Curtis Bring To Madame Leota’s Character?
Madame Leota is a beloved and staple character in the Disney attraction, and Jamie Lee Curtis does her best to bring a fresh interpretation to the role. Curtis’s Leota had a Russian origin (as researched by the actress) and the Halloween actress collaborated with costume designer Jeffrey Kurland to don Russian-influenced costumes. The Knives Out actress revealed that Simien had only one piece of direction for her:
“Be funnier, is the only direction I ever got from Justin. It was just, ‘Jamie, can you do it again, but be funnier.'”
Simien previously worked in Disneyland and has a profound admiration for the Disney ride as well as the Leota character. He wanted to portray the character on screen brilliantly without letting down the fans of the ride. The Haunted Mansion 2023 movie was released in theaters on July 28th.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
