In a stunning revelation that connects Hollywood's past and present, Jamie Lee Curtis has shared intimate details about her first love—a romance that began with a childhood movie crush she didn't even recognize until it was happening in real life.
The Oscar-winning actress posted a heartbreaking tribute to Robert Carradine after learning from mutual friend Melanie Griffith that the 'Revenge of the Nerds' star died by suicide at 71 while battling bipolar disorder.
"We were both second-generation actors—what they'd call Nepo babies today—and met on live television during the Dinah Shore show," Curtis revealed. "Bobby rearranged the seating just to sit beside me, then kissed me right there on air. Our romance began in front of millions."
Jamie Lee Curtis at the Las Culturistas Culture Awards held at the Orpheum on July 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif. JC Olivera/TheEntBase via Getty
The most shocking twist? Curtis discovered Carradine was her actual first crush—from watching him as Slim in 'The Cowboys'—only after they were already dating. "I looked over during one of his wild Corvette rides on Mulholland Drive, sunlight hit his face, and it clicked: 'Wait, were you in The Cowboys? Were you Slim?' He was my first movie crush, and I hadn't even known it."
Their relationship created a surprising Hollywood triangle that continues today. Carradine had previously dated Melanie Griffith, who later became Curtis's "inseparable best friend"—and was the one who delivered the tragic news of his passing.
Curtis and Carradine formed an unconventional family in late '70s Laurel Canyon, living in a "dirt-floored house" where she bonded with his three-year-old daughter, Ever Carradine (now of 'The Handmaid's Tale'). "They were both my first loves," Curtis wrote to Ever on Instagram. "He showed me what a father could be. Laurel Canyon in the late '70s—a different era, a different world."
The connections run even deeper through Hollywood history: Carradine later appeared in 'The Long Riders' with Curtis's now-husband Christopher Guest, where various sets of brothers portrayed historical figures. Despite their breakup, Curtis and Carradine remained friends until his death.
Robert Carradine in 2025. Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Carradine's TV family from 'Lizzie McGuire' also mourned his loss, with Hilary Duff posting: "This one stings. The McGuire family had such warmth, and I always felt looked after by my TV parents." Co-star Jake Thomas remembered him as "humorous, practical, occasionally grumpy, always a bit quirky—but above all, he was family."
Curtis concluded her tribute with a poignant farewell to the man who was both her childhood fantasy and real-life first love: "Rest in speed, humor, and love, Bobby."
The story reveals how Hollywood's interconnected relationships create unexpected bonds that endure for decades—and how sometimes, our childhood dreams come true in ways we never expect.
