AceShowbiz - As the recipient of an honorary doctorate from the American Film Institute (AFI), Jamie Lee Curtis took to the stage with John Carpenter, director of her breakthrough film "Halloween", acknowledging his significant role in her career and educational struggles.

"We did 'Halloween', and it made all of us famous, but Jamie Lee especially," said Carpenter as he presented Curtis with her Doctorate of Fine Arts. "She became the queen of horror movies, but I'm not sure she wanted that."

Curtis, in turn, expressed her gratitude to Carpenter, "Thank you for my entire life, John. Without you, none of this." Addressing the audience, Curtis confessed to feeling like an "underachiever" and that she "shouldn't be here" receiving a doctorate due to her educational challenges. "I couldn't learn, the delivery system didn't work for me," she explained, referring to her struggles with traditional education.

However, Curtis emphasized that formal education is not always necessary for artistic success. "You don't have to have a degree to be an artist," she asserted. "I am the representation of an accidental artist, but I stand fully in my body, in my mind, in my soul, as one now."

Curtis urged graduates to embrace their individuality and pursue their passions with determination. "Let your mind express itself," she advised. "When you express yourself freely, you end up becoming John Carpenter, and then you end up changing the world."

In a nod to her own journey of defining her identity, Curtis closed her speech by encouraging graduates to work tirelessly and make a positive impact. "Don't think you deserve something more than you're going to get," she said. "Fight for it, work for it. Save the universe, please. God bless you all."