Hoda Kotb is on an emotional farewell tour and is likely savoring every moment along the way.
The longtime co-anchor of NBC’s Today show revealed weeks ago that she would officially leave the morning program.
Her initial TV reveal with co-stars seated around her was full of teary-eyed moments, and she’s experiencing more of those with various guests she interviews.
Count actor Jamie Lee Curtis among them, as she made Hoda shed tears during their recent conversation.
Curtis, who won an Academy Award for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once, is back for several more movies, including Prime’s Sticky and a Freaky Friday sequel with Lindsay Lohan.
However, before talking about herself, she became emotional with Hoda about the Today star’s upcoming departure.
Jamie Lee Curtis had heartfelt remarks for Hoda
On Thursday’s Today show, Hoda introduced guest Jamie Lee Curtis and listed her impressive career highlights, including starring in many memorable films, winning an Oscar and Emmy, and activism.
After presenting all that, Hoda said she wasn’t even sure where to begin with Curtis.
“Here’s how we’re gonna begin. Say it ain’t so, Hoda,” Curtis told the Today star.
“I can’t deal with it. I just can’t deal with it. I just cannot believe this is the last time I’ll be here with you,” she told her.
Curtis said it was appropriate that they both wore purple because it signifies being wounded.
“Purple is a wound. So I have a wound today with you. I’m a little sad, and yet I love you,” Curtis said, adding, “You are an absolute treasure, and we are all gonna miss you here. I can’t imagine this place without you.”
As she delivered those remarks, Hoda was visibly choked up and teary-eyed.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for the note you gave me,” she responded.
Hoda pulled out the handwritten note that Curtis had been unable to send to her and had Curtis read the eight words on it.
“It says, ‘Hoda, the long and winding road. Where you go, my hand in yours. Bravo,'” Curtis read aloud.
According to the actress, she’d initially postmarked the note to send to Hoda in September. As Monsters and Critics reported in late September, the Today star announced she was ending her time as an anchor and became emotional while delivering that news.
Weeks ago, Today revealed that Hoda’s co-star Craig Melvin will take over her spot, co-anchoring NBC’s morning program with Savannah Guthrie.
Curtis said Hoda ‘truly changed’ Today show
The award-winning actress had more to say during her interview. While she talked about Sticky on Amazon Prime, the Freaky Friday sequel, and being married 40 years, she returned to praising Hoda.
“I want to say thank you. You have truly changed this place, this house, this group of people that love you, and you are going off for all the right reasons,” she said.
“And you’re going to take all of us with you, and whatever you do, know that you’ll have this family with you. But you are a beautiful human being, and this show is better for you being here,” Curtis told Hoda.
Last year, Curtis sent a thoughtful and heartfelt gift to Hoda’s young daughters, Haley and Hope. After Hope became ill, Curtis sent them teddy bears. The present arrived around the same time Curtis won her first Oscar award for Everything Everywhere All At Once.
According to Page Six, Hoda expressed her gratitude when Curtis appeared on the Today show a few days after claiming the Best Actress in a Supporting Role award at the ceremony.
“I thought to myself, in the middle of her shining moment in her life, she is sending something to me and my kids. And I can’t tell you how touched and how beautiful I thought that was. And I just wanted to say thank you,” Hoda told her.