Jamie Lee Curtis Pens Poignant Tribute To 'First Love' Robert Carradine After His Tragic Death

Jamie Lee Curtis is remembering her “first love.”

The Oscar winner took to Instagram on Tuesday to mourn Robert Carradine, the beloved character actor best known for portraying Lewis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerds and Sam McGuire in Lizzie McGuire. He was 71.

Curtis opened her tribute with the news that changed her morning:

"I woke up to the news that Robert Carradine died.”

She later revealed that actor Melanie Griffith, who starred alongside Carradine in 1977’s Joyride, was the one who told her he had passed.

Curtis, 67, reflected on how their story began decades ago during a live appearance on The Dinah Shore Show. Both came from famous Hollywood families—Carradine was the son of John Carradine and Sonia Sorel, while Curtis is the daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh—but their first meeting felt straight out of a movie.

Curtis recalled their unforgettable introduction on live television:

"Bobby and I came on last, and Bobby rearranged where we were all sitting so that he could sit next to me, and he kissed me, live on television. A very public meet-cute."

Their romance eventually ended, but their bond did not. Curtis shared that they remained friends through the years, even as their lives moved in different directions. Carradine later appeared in the 1980 Western The Long Riders alongside Curtis’ future husband, Christopher Guest, whom she married in 1984.

She also remembered the quieter moments, particularly those involving Carradine’s daughter, Ever.

She shared a tender memory from their Laurel Canyon days:

"I remember walking with Ever to the little Canyon market and bringing our laundry down to the laundromat below and folding her little clothes for the first time and the simplicity and beauty of Laurel Canyon in the late 70s."

Carradine had three children: daughter Ever with Susan Snyder, and Marika and Ian with his wife, Edith Mani. Curtis also revealed that Carradine had unknowingly been her first on-screen crush years before they ever met.

She remembered the moment she realized he had once been her childhood crush:

"One day I remember the sun hitting his face and me turning and looking at him and saying 'Wait, were you in the movie The Cowboys? Were you Slim?' He was my first crush in the movies and I didn't realize it."

Carradine starred opposite John Wayne in 1972’s The Cowboys, portraying Slim Honeycutt, one of the young ranch hands hired to help drive cattle across the country. The coming-of-age Western marked one of his earliest film roles and introduced him to audiences long before Revenge of the Nerds made him a household name.

Curtis closed her tribute with a final farewell that reflected decades of shared history:

"We ... remained friends after we broke up, and Ever and I have as well. The long and winding road. Rest in speed and humor and love, Bobby."

You can view her entire post below:

Carradine died Monday. His brother, Keith Carradine, confirmed to USA TODAY on February 24 that the actor died by suicide. His family later released a statement to Deadline, acknowledging his nearly two-decade struggle with bipolar disorder.

Carradine’s family addressed his long battle with mental illness in a statement:

"We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby's valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder. We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness."

Tributes quickly poured in across social media, as friends, collaborators, and longtime fans reflected on Carradine’s warmth and lasting impact.

You can view the reactions below:

@ritawilson/Instagram

@bettyjo46/Instagram

@dottdott65/Instagram

@betseyboop/Instagram

@ondinefortune/Instagram

@heathermessina/Instagram

@mlejordan/Instagram

@icu2qtpie/Instagram

@ryan.mannino013/Instagram

@helen_nk0730/Instagram

@steph.lynn_26/Instagram

@themovieposterguy/Instagram

Carradine later found a new generation of fans as Sam McGuire in Lizzie McGuire, reprising the role in the 2003 film and the canceled 2020 reboot. Hilary Duff, who played his on-screen daughter in the Disney Channel series, was among those who shared a heartfelt tribute.

She honored the man who played her TV dad:

"There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents. I'll be forever grateful for that. I'm deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him , his family, and everyone who loved him."

You can view her post here:

Carradine’s real-life daughter, Ever Carradine—known for her roles in The Handmaid’s Tale, Runaways, and Commander in Chief—also reflected on the childhood they shared in Laurel Canyon.

Ever wrote:

"Growing up in the 70s and 80 with a single dad in Laurel Canyon is not exactly the recipe for a grounded childhood, but somehow mine was. Whenever anyone asks me how I turned out so normal, I always tell them it’s because of my dad."

You can view her post below:

From first love to lifelong friendship, Curtis’ tribute captured the through line of Carradine’s life—one defined by humor, heart, and an enduring bond with those who knew him best.