Jamie Lee Curtis recalls “begging” agents for a multi-cam sitcom as she discusses the turn toward classic formats

Jamie Lee Curtis is looking back at the late-1980s pilot season when she says she had to press for the return of a certain kind of television, the multi-camera sitcom built to run in weekly rhythm. Curtis discussed the episode during an interview tied to a current press cycle following the end of a film project, according to Deadline, and linked that renewed interest to her experience with the 1988 pilot that became the center of her “Newlyweds” story line.

Deadline reports that during the 1988 pilot season, Curtis was offered a half-hour multi-camera pilot by ABC. She agreed to do it and said she enjoyed the format, describing that the work matched what audiences traditionally expect from multi-cam sitcoms, including a sense of structure and timing that differs from single-camera comedy.

The interview also revisits what happened after the pilot. Curtis told Deadline she was disappointed when ABC did not move forward with the program to series status in May 1988, despite the pilot experience. In Deadline’s account, that gap between what she liked about the project and what became of it shaped how she thought about access to opportunities and the follow-through needed to bring such shows to air.

Deadline further reports that Curtis said she “begged” her agents for help in getting another sitcom opportunity that would place her back in that multi-camera environment. The phrasing underscores her sense that projects like that do not always progress without sustained advocacy, particularly when an actor is also balancing feature film schedules and the uncertainty of network development.

Curtis’ remarks come as multi-camera sitcoms have faced years of changing production patterns, with fewer traditional ensembles compared to other comedy models. In the Deadline piece, she framed her outlook around the practical value of the multi-cam format, arguing that it is well-suited for the kind of audience comfort and repeatable storytelling cadence that older series popularized.

The interview, Deadline notes, also reflects her recent work timeline, with Curtis describing that she had wrapped a movie when the pilot and its aftermath were still fresh in her mind. Deadline’s article positions her current comments as part of a broader effort to bring attention to classic sitcom mechanics, including the rapid-fire pacing and shared cast dynamic that multi-camera productions tend to emphasize.

Curtis did not present a concrete next-steps announcement in Deadline’s report, but the outlet connected her “begging” comment to a stated desire to see more multi-camera sitcoms moving forward. What is clear from Deadline’s reporting is that Curtis’ strongest on-the-record detail remains her 1988 ABC pilot experience and the decision not to pick it up to series, an episode she says pushed her to seek stronger representation support afterward.

Deadline’s account also leaves open the question of how her advocacy might translate into specific program development or casting decisions. The next measurable item would be whether any network or production company acts on the renewed attention Curtis said she wants for multi-cam sitcoms, and whether her current visibility leads to new offers consistent with that format.