Did you feel disappointed with Seinfeld’s finale? Julia Louis-Dreyfus totally gets it. Originally airing for nine seasons on NBC between 1989 and 1998, Seinfeld stands tall as one of the most popular and most acclaimed television shows of all time. Years past its television run, the series has continued to be watched regularly by fans thanks to reruns and streaming.
But, as it has happened with many other great television hits, the ending wasn't the most satisfying for fans. With the audience constantly revisiting the show (especially with its inclusion on Netflix), the comments about the conclusion and its perceived failures are more present than ever. And Julia Louis-Dreyfus agrees.
Speaking to The Daily Beast, the actress confessed that she perfectly understands how the fans feel about the finale:
“Well, I will say that just from a purely emotional point of view, it was really a delight to sit there in that courtroom and watch one guest actor after another parade through. I mean, it’s like we were watching the show, so that was really fun, that aspect of it. But I understood why people were disappointed. First of all, expectations were ridiculous. But I also understood, because we didn’t do too much in it. Once we had been arrested and in court, it was just us sitting there watching one person after another parade through.”
And the last episode wasn't the only thing people were talking about. Soon after the end of Seinfeld, people started talking about how the show was "cursed," referring to the four main stars of the show failing to find success with their respective careers afterward.
Saying Goodbye to Seinfeld
In another interview with Rolling Stone, Louis-Dreyfus commented on the end of Seinfeld. She first recalled how difficult it was to say goodbye to everyone when the show finished up, though she notes how the same can be said for any film or TV show she works on. As the actress describes:
“I think any time a project ends, it’s gutting for me. And that’s true of movies and TV shows. There is a focus and a camaraderie that’s very much present when you’re working hard on a project that you believe in, and when the circus leaves town, it’s a huge transition. There’s a real feeling of sadness for me. ‘Where did all my buddies go?’ ‘Where are my friends?'”
With that said, the actress addressed the alleged Seinfeld curse. She pointed to that as media smearing, and while she says that it has since been proven wrong, Louis-Dreyfus also found it amazing that it ever made any traction to begin with, feeling from the start that the assertion was "moronic." The actress added:
"It was invented by the media. They thought it was clever. You don’t need me to prove it wrong, it was ridiculous! It made no sense. I was amazed that it had legs, because it was so moronic. I don’t know how else to say it!”
The Seinfeld Curse: Does it Exist?
Per Variety, the origins of the curse go back to the immediate aftermath of Seinfeld ending. At that time, three of the show's stars had appeared in short-lived sitcoms, with Louis-Dreyfus starring in Watching Ellie, Michael Richards starring in The Michael Richards Show, and Jason Alexander starring in Listen Up!. All three were canceled pretty early with only Louis-Dreyfus' show making it to a second season. Perhaps it was the timing, as sitcoms with beloved stars attached get passed over or canceled frequently, and it's certainly not unusual for this to happen with TV actors.
Louis-Dreyfus previously addressed the supposed curse after winning an Emmy in 2006 for her role on the show The New Adventures of Old Christine. During her acceptance speech, she said, "I'm not somebody who really believes in curses, but curse this, baby!"
From there, Louis-Dreyfus would win another six Emmy Awards for the hit series Veep. More recently, she has been spending time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. She also recently starred in the Kenya Barris rom-com You People as well as the dramedy You Hurt My Feelings alongside Tobias Menzies.