Actress Jamie Lee Curtis, 62, Screens ‘Halloween Kills’ For a Superfan Battling Terminal Cancer, Then Officiates His Wedding

“There is not a woman alive who hasn’t had some contact with breast cancer, either through a friend or through her own experience with it,” Curtis said in a prior interview. “I had my own personal moment of truth when I had a biopsy done on a small, questionable lump in my breast. It was scary.”

 

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The Los Angeles native immediately realized that she was very fortunate, compared to others who may not have access to the same care.

“Everything turned out fine, but it brought me very close to understanding how lucky I am to have access to all these resources and great doctors,” she said.

What to Expect from a Breast Biopsy

A Beautiful Gift to a Superfan Dying of Cancer

The experience brought Curtis a great deal of empathy, and she has supported the cancer community over the years.

Curtis recently officiated the wedding of a fan fighting terminal cancer. The man worked at a South Carolina movie theater, was a huge fan of the Halloween movies, and requested to see the film Halloween Kills before he passed.

“They said that a young man who works there named Anthony Woodle, very young and beautiful guy, was diagnosed with cancer and didn't have long to live,” Curtis said during an interview on The Talk. “And so (executive producer) David (Gordon Green) showed him a movie that no one in the world has seen, he showed Anthony and his fiancée Emilee the chance to see the new Halloween movie, which I thought was just a beautiful gesture. And I simply followed it up by calling Anthony and sort of starting a conversation to say I could tell him any secret.”

Then Curtis agreed to marry Anthony and his fiancée Emilee. “And it turned out that I also offered to marry him because I am an officiant. And it turned out that his wedding wasn't gonna be able to happen because he was so near death,” she said.

Curtis officiated the ceremony via Zoom with the couple’s family and friends virtually present. Tragically, the man died an hour after the wedding.

“It turned out to be something obviously incredibly moving and also very life affirming,” Curtis shared tearfully. “He was the greatest Halloween fan in the world, and I know a lot of them.”

Curtis paid respects to Woodle on her Instagram. “Anthony Woodle, rest in the knowledge that you came from love, were surrounded by love and found true love in Emilee,” she wrote. “Anthony, I am honored to have been your friend and that you and Emilee were the ONLY people who have seen #halloweenkills thanks to #davidgordongreen.”

Supporting Someone with Cancer

While not everyone is able to give a cancer patient access to an upcoming private film release, or have an A-list star officiate their wedding as a last dying wish, there are many things that you can do to be there for a family member or friend going through a cancer battle. At the top of the list? “Don’t say stupid things,” says writer and cancer survivor Cathy Brown.

“Living with a cancer diagnosis is hard enoughdon't make it more unpleasant,” she says.  The “stupid things” includes anything about someone you know who died of cancer.

A good place to start with a friend or family member who has recently been diagnosed is to simply ask them what you can do to help. Being available to help out in whatever way, can make a big difference. Give them a ride to treatment, send them a card or flowers to cheer them up, or offer to cook a healthy meal. A small gesture can go a long way. Just be mindful of what they are going through physically and emotionally.

How to Talk to a Friend With Cancer

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