Curtis revealed that when she was filming Fierce Creatures in London in 1996, Princess Diana visited the set with her young sons, Prince William and Harry.

Unfortunately, Curtis missed the encounter because she was on a quick bathroom break.

“I wrote her a letter afterwards, telling her how sorry I was that I’d missed her and how much I admired her,” Curtis recalled.

“Diana wrote back and said, ‘Totally get it: been there, done that. I admire you too. It’d be nice to meet you someday.’ She died a year later.”

When news of Diana’s death broke in 1997, Curtis said she turned off her TV and picked up a book on mindfulness that made her reflect on what it means to live a meaningful life.

“I thought about Diana, her bravery, her compassion, her humanity. She learned to live wisely, and she loved well. That has stayed with me.”

Now 66, Curtis has built a career spanning nearly five decades, from her breakout role in Halloween to her Oscar-winning performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Beyond the screen, she has been a strong voice for humanitarian causes and children’s health.

Curtis has worked closely with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles since 2004 and plans to leave most of her estate to the institution. “I’m an L.A. girl. I wanted to help the kids here,” she said.

Reflecting on her journey, Curtis said she feels deep gratitude for the life she’s built both professionally and personally.

“Have I lived wisely? Yeah, for sure. Have I loved well? Well,” she said with a smile.

“The root of humanity is service, understanding your reality and helping others with theirs.”