Jamie Lee Curtis Blasts Single-Camera 'New Girl' Set, Leaves Fans Stunned

Jamie Lee Curtis, the Oscar‑winning actress who has graced film and television for decades, let her guard down at NBCUniversal’s Summer Backlot Experience in Los Angeles. In a rare moment of candor, she told the crowd that she “hated” filming the hit sitcom *New Girl* because of its single‑camera format.

The 67‑year‑old explained that the show’s production style felt more like a movie than a traditional comedy, with no live audience laughter and a crew that left her feeling “silent” and “awful.” Her comments shed new light on a series in which she appeared only five times, revealing why even seasoned performers can find modern sitcom formats challenging.

## Background & Context

Curtis played the mother of Zooey Deschanel’s character, Joan, in five episodes of *New Girl*, which aired from 2011 to 2018 and later found a wider audience on Netflix.

Unlike classic sitcoms such as *Friends* or *The Big Bang Theory*, which rely on a multi‑camera setup and a live studio audience, *New Girl* was shot with a single camera—an approach that mirrors contemporary dramas and films. “Single‑camera comedies, for me, not fun,” Curtis said at the panel.

She added that “you’ve got a camera crew, and nobody laughs… It’s silent, and it’s awful.”

Before *New Girl*, Curtis enjoyed a successful run on the 1980s ABC sitcom *Anything But Love*, opposite Richard Lewis. “It was my favorite job I’ve ever had,” she recalled during the event. That role cemented her affection for the sitcom genre, even as she found the single‑camera approach off‑kilter.

The shift from multi‑camera to single‑camera reflects a broader trend in television, where producers seek tighter visual storytelling and greater flexibility in editing—but at the cost of the communal laughter that many actors have come to love.

## What People Are Saying

The cast’s experience on *New Girl* has sparked comparisons to other family‑friendly projects.

Zooey Deschanel, who played the teenage daughter in the series, described the casting of Curtis and Rob Reiner as “just beyond my wildest dreams.” The late Reiner had played Deschanel’s on‑screen father, adding a layer of real‑life star power to the show’s dynamics.

Fans reacted swiftly on social media. Threads erupted across Twitter and Reddit, with many viewers expressing solidarity with Curtis’s frustrations. Some commenters pointed out that the “no laugh track” format gave *New Girl* a more cinematic feel, while others lamented that the lack of audible audience cues dulled the humor.

A fan poll on Tumblr even compared the experience of watching a multi‑camera sitcom versus a single‑camera one, with 73 % of respondents saying they felt “more connected” to the former.

Curtis’s own words reveal a broader industry trend: “I’m 68 years old, and every single year, all I’ve ever said to my agents is ‘I want to do a sitcom, all I want to do is a sitcom.’” She praised the rehearsal process of a sitcom, noting the “dance with the cameras” that allows actors to “learn a joke and play it.” These comments underscore her commitment to the genre and her willingness to adapt to new production styles.

## What Happens Next

Curtis has moved from acting to creative control, co‑creating NBC’s new series *Newlyweds*. She serves as an executive producer and guest star, describing herself as the “HBIC. Head bitch in charge.” “I’ve been doing it not as a boss for a long, long time.

And now I’m a boss, and I love it,” she laughed at the panel.

Her pivot to production signals a desire to shape sitcoms from behind the camera. *Newlyweds* has already attracted attention for its fresh take on the family‑comedy formula, blending the quick wit of multi‑camera shows with the visual flair of single‑camera storytelling.

Industry insiders note that Curtis’s experience on *New Girl* informs her approach: she insists on a live audience during rehearsals to keep the energy high, even if the final product is edited without a laugh track.

Beyond her own projects, Curtis’s comments have sparked a dialogue among veteran actors about how best to navigate the evolving landscape of television comedy. Directors are now more open to hybrid formats that marry the immediacy of live laughter with the cinematic polish of single‑camera work.

Production companies are investing in “laugh‑track‑in‑a‑box” technologies that can simulate audience reactions without compromising the visual integrity of the episode.

## In Short

Curtis’s experience on *New Girl* highlights the clash between classic sitcom traditions and modern single‑camera techniques—an insight that may influence how future comedy series are filmed.

Her candid remarks serve as a reminder that even seasoned performers can find new production methods off‑kilter, while also underscoring the resilience and adaptability that keep the genre alive.

As she continues to champion the format she loves from both front and back of the camera, Jamie Lee Curtis remains a pivotal figure in shaping the next generation of television comedy.