Jamie Lee Curtis let her 'very dark imagination' run wild for her graphic novel

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Jamie Lee Curtis discusses giving back to her community

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Jamie Lee Curtis is shedding some insight on where the inspiration behind her upcoming graphic novel stemmed from.

"I wanted to know what would happen when Mother Nature fought back," Curtis said in an interview with People magazine. "It turns out I have a very dark imagination."

She described her original idea for the environmental novel as being "very father knows best."

Jamie Lee Curtis' "very dark imaganation" ran wild in her upcoming debut graphic novel. (Photo by Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb)

Curtis got her idea when she was 19, but shelved the idea for decades. It wasn't until years later when she purchased a Karl Stevens illustration as a gift for her husband, filmmaker Christopher Guest, that her idea was brought up in conversation.

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"Karl said, ‘That’s a graphic novel,’" she recalled of her conversation with the artist. "And ‘graphic’ is how we would describe the violence against the universe that has been perpetrated by humans." 

She continued, "It's graphic violence. And the graphic part of the book, by the way, is all mine. As it turns out, I have a very dark imagination, with a capital V and capital D."

Jamie Lee Curtis poses with her graphic novel "Mother Nature" during San Diego Comic-Con International on July 20. (Photo by CHRIS DELMAS)

According to the actress, her co-writer, Russell Goldman, is the reason the novel tapped into the maternal side.

"He really took the story in a different way, and reminded me that the story is called Mother Nature. And maybe it's time to acknowledge that mommy knows best," she said.

"Mother Nature" is set to be released Aug. 8, which to Curtis, couldn't have been planned at a better time.

Illustrator Karl Stevens poses with "Mother Nature" co-writers Jamie Lee Curtis and Russell Goldman. (Photo by CHRIS DELMAS)

"I’m not gonna say that I timed it well, but it will have followed the hottest days on record," she said. Curtis – who is well known for her role in the "Halloween" franchise – doesn't enjoy being scared, but can't help but be frightened by the current climate.

"Right now, with climate change, I’m scared s---less," Curtis said. "But getting scared gets my attention."

The 64-year-old actress hopes readers become more aware of how they can positively impact the environment.

Jamie Lee Curtis said she is a different kind of activist than Mark Ruffalo. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

"I’m not an activist the way Mark Ruffalo is. I am an environmental activist in the same way that I’m a trans activist," Curtis told the outlet. "This is in my home. It’s time to listen to mothers. I will be gone one day," she says. "And while I’m here, I’m gonna make some noise." 

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Curtis' debut graphic novel follows ecological activist Nova Terrell who "wages a campaign of sabotage and vandalism" on an oil giant in New Mexico, according to a synopsis of the book. 

Jamie Lee Curtis debut novel hits shelves on Aug. 8. (Gilbert Flores)

Last week, Curtis attended San Diego Comic-Con where she unveiled her upcoming book. "We're f---ing the world! We need to do better. There is a possibility of change, but we are going to have to do it," she said to packed crowd, according to Entertainment Weekly.

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Curtis' novel hits shelves on Aug. 8.