Seinfeld star Julia Louis-Dreyfus doesn’t hold back when discussing the show’s so-called curse, blasting the whole concept. In the role of Elaine Benes, Louis-Dreyfus made a lasting impact. Along with the rest of the core Seinfeld cast, which included Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards, she helped create some of the most memorable television episodes in history. But for years after the NBC sitcom concluded, there were frequent headlines about the fact that the actors had been cursed by their success.
In an interview with Rolling Stone to promote the film You Hurt My Feelings, Louis-Dreyfus is asked about the Seinfeld curse and how it relates to her new movie. In her response, which is included below, the 11-time Emmy winner doesn’t hold back. She agrees that the concept itself is invented by the media, calling it “moronic” and saying that she was surprised the idea became popular:
It was invented by the media. They thought it was clever. You don’t need me to prove it wrong, it was ridiculous! It made no sense. I was amazed that it had legs, because it was so moronic. I don’t know how else to say it!
The Seinfeld Curse Explained (& Why It Doesn’t Hold Up)
The so-called Seinfeld curse refers to the fact that the main four Seinfeld stars were unable to launch successful shows after the Seinfeld series finale in 1998, with the projects getting canceled or being short-lived. But actually looking at the cast’s filmography proves that the narrative isn’t so simple. Even before nabbing another career-defining comedy with HBO’s Veep, Louis-Dreyfus led The New Adventures of Old Christine on CBS. It ran for five seasons, getting nine Emmy nominations and one win for Louis-Dreyfus herself.
The curse narrative also undercuts the degree of difficulty and chance and even timing involved with launching a sitcom as influential and dominant as Seinfeld was. Alexander has had a bevy of credits since his time as George Costanza, appearing in everything from Community to Criminal Minds. Seinfeld is one of the most recognizable sitcom stars of all time. As for Richards, he’ll always be remembered for his portrayal of Kramer.
But it would be near impossible for any of the four to star in anything as impactful as Seinfeld. Most actors rarely get to experience headlining a super successful project even once. But with shows like Veep, not to mention their various other roles in the past few decades, it’s safe to say the curse talks were overblown.
Source: Rolling Stone
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
