In the world of cinema, the battle for roles is often fierce, and sometimes, it's the unexpected contenders who emerge victorious. This is the tale of two talented women, Jamie Lee Curtis and Eve Plumb, and the role that could have changed the course of their careers. The year was 1980, and the horror genre was in full swing, fueled by the success of 'Halloween'. Studios were hungry for the next big hit, and the formula was simple: create a killer with a grudge and set them loose on a group of kids. This led to a wave of exploitative, copycat slasher movies, with 'Friday the 13th' being a notable example, much to the chagrin of critics like Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert.
Jamie Lee Curtis, already a rising star with her parents' showbiz credentials, was a natural fit for the role of the final girl. Yet, she chose to star in three more horror films that year, including 'The Fog', 'Prom Night', and 'Terror Train'. Her decision to pursue available work was driven by the fickleness of the industry, as she once told ET, 'being young and an actress and female, you don't have the luxury of being able to pick the sort of rainbow of roles'.
What makes this story particularly fascinating is the role she nearly lost to Eve Plumb, the iconic Jan Brady from 'The Brady Bunch'. Plumb had interviewed for the part of Kim Hammond in 'Prom Night' and was favored by the director, Paul Lynch, and producer, Peter Simpson. Simpson, however, felt that Curtis was wrong for the role but couldn't turn down the star of 'Halloween'.
In a 2004 interview, Simpson revealed that he and Lynch interviewed Plumb but did not screen test her. Curtis, on the other hand, expressed interest and knocked everyone's socks off. Lynch recalled, 'She sells herself. And she sold herself to Peter. After that, [Plumb] was gone'.
Plumb, despite her disappointment, continued to work steadily in television, appearing in 'The Brady Bunch' reunions and spin-offs, as well as films like 'I'm Gonna Git You Sucka', 'Nowhere', and 'Blue Ruin'. Curtis, on the other hand, went on to become a household name, with roles in 'Halloween II', 'Roadgames', and 'Trading Places'.
This story raises a deeper question: what if Eve Plumb had been cast as the final girl? Would she have gone on to become a horror icon like Curtis? Or would she have faced the same challenges as many other actors, struggling to find diverse roles? The answer may never be known, but it's a fascinating thought experiment. From my perspective, it's a reminder that the path to stardom is often unpredictable and that sometimes, it's the unexpected contenders who emerge victorious.
