Fresh Air Jodie Foster
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Jan 13, 2026 Jodie Foster, an Academy Award-winning actor and director known for iconic films like Taxi Driver, discusses her remarkable career and her latest French-language film, A Private Life. She shares her experience of being a child actor and the pressures that taught her resilience. Foster recalls a harrowing lion mauling incident on set and the invaluable lessons from working with Martin Scorsese. She also reflects on her decision to maintain privacy regarding her sexuality and her unique insights on hypnosis as it relates to her new film.
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Started In Commercials With Family Support
- Foster began acting in commercials as a child, often finding the work social and community-driven rather than artistically fulfilling.
- Her mother managed the family's careers and framed acting as shared family labor to reduce pressure on Jodie.
Child Acting Builds Resilience Or Harm
- Child acting can build resilience or cause lasting harm depending on the child's makeup and support.
- Foster credits resilience for personal growth and professional advantages.
Child Actor Mauled By A Lion
- Jodie Foster was mauled by a lion at age nine on a Disney set but was largely unhurt after brief hospitalization.
- She returned to work with animals and said her mother framed the incident to avoid blaming the lion.