Jamie Lee Curtis honours late sister Kelly Lee Curtis in heartfelt farewell message

Actress and producer Jamie Lee Curtis is mourning the loss of her older sister, Kelly Lee Curtis, who has died at the age of 69.

Jamie announced the heartbreaking news in a heartfelt Instagram tribute on Saturday, revealing that Kelly passed away peacefully at her home in California.

“A warm aloha to my older sister, Kelly Lee Curtis. She passed away this morning. In her home. In nature. At peace,” Jamie wrote alongside a black-and-white photograph of her sister.

The Oscar-winning actress described Kelly as her “first friend and lifelong confidant,” reflecting on the close bond they shared throughout their lives.

Paying tribute to her sister’s character and accomplishments, Jamie remembered Kelly as “jaw-droppingly beautiful and a talented actress.”

She also celebrated her many passions, including her love for family, nature, music, travel, and thrifting.

“She played a mean game of hearts, collected turtles, loved her family, nature, music, thrifting, travel,” Jamie wrote.

“She was proud of her Danish roots and Hungarian Jewish ancestry and was a devoted American patriot.”

Jamie further honored Kelly’s generosity, strong personality, and distinctive style, saying she would be remembered for her “loving generosity, fierce opinions, endless curiosity, unique style,” as well as the powdered almond crescent cookies she baked during the holidays, earning her the affectionate nickname “Auntie Cookie.”

Concluding her emotional message, Jamie referenced a Hungarian blessing that Kelly often used when saying goodbye.

“Kelly always signed off any message or fare thee well with a Hungarian blessing … Isten Veled, God is with you. Isten Veled to my sister of the sun and the moon, my Tai. I'll see you on down the line,” she wrote.

A cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.

Kelly was the eldest daughter of late Hollywood stars, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.

Born in Santa Monica, California, she made her first screen appearance as an infant in the 1958 film The Vikings, which starred her parents.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Kelly established a steady acting career with appearances in television series such as The Equalizer, Hunter, Silk Stalkings, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and The Sentinel.

She also shared the screen with her younger sister in Trading Places.

In addition to acting, Kelly worked behind the scenes as Jamie’s assistant on several film projects.