It’s been 40 years since Jamie Lee Curtis got her hips busy in the jazzercise scene from the 1985 film Perfect, and now, with the help of Jimmy Fallon, the actor has recreated the iconic moment.
Sitting down opposite Fallon on the Tonight Show stage, Curtis began the segment by recalling some films she’s danced in, like Prom Night and True Lies. Fallon then mentioned the leotard-clad segment from Perfect, showing a clip of the original with Curtis and her co-star, John Travolta, gyrating to the beat of Jermaine Jackson and Whitney Houston’s “Shock Me.”
“That’s a lot of thrusting!” Fallon said of the clip, fanning himself. He then joked that it went on for “five minutes,” to which a laughing Curtis replied, “No, no, that scene went on for, like, seven minutes.”
The two then introduced their skit — calling it “never-before-seen” footage — recreating the moment. Curtis, donned in leg warmers and a similar striped leotard, leads the jazzercise class, with a wigged Fallon playing Travolta’s part.
Then, after a good bit of thrusting of course, the scene unravels into surreal comedy as the two actors eat pizza, pour champagne, release a live dove, and resuscitate a dead body, all while getting down to “Shock Me.”
Watch the video of the skit below.
Meanwhile, Curtis’ Tonight Show booking occurred as the wildfires in Los Angeles continued, with the actor — who pledged $1 million to fire relief efforts — writing on Instagram that it was “very challenging” to leave her Los Angeles home behind to make the appearance.
“I suited up and showed up for work here in the city, complete with the recreation of the hip, thrusting meme from the movie, Perfect,” she wrote. “It was complicated to feel like we were making comedy in the midst of such a profound tragedy across the country, but we did. The hug [Fallon] gave me in support of my fragile feelings will always be remembered, and I leave New York City with the hopes and prayers and good thoughts from all in the East Coast as I return home to the best coast and my beloved City of Angels to help start to repair and rebuild.”
For more on the Los Angeles wildfires, you can find donation links, fundraising info, and more ways to help here.