Originally a child actress, with roles in commercials at the age of 2, including one in which she was accidentally mauled by a lion. In 1972, she made her film debut in Disney's bland Napoleon and Samantha, in which she and a boy from the circus travel cross-country. She received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her role as a child prostitute in Taxi Driver (1976) when she was 14. This film attracted the attention of American Nazi party member John Hinckley, who stalked her while she was at Yale. Hinckley tried to impress her by assassinating Ronald Reagan, but failed on both counts.
After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Yale with a degree in literature, Foster resumed her career in film, winning acclaim as rape victim Sarah Tobias in The Accused (1988) and originating the role of Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs (1991), winning Academy Awards for both roles. She received another nomination for Nell (1994). For a while she was considering making a movie about Leni Riefenstahl, but that project has stalled.
[1] When for many years Ms. Foster dodged questions of her sexual orientation, this did not stop others from concluding the obvious. Interview of Suzanne Westenhoefer, Dallas Voice, August 2005: "At this point Jodie Foster should just come out. She's not an ingénue anymore. You know, it really saddens me because Jodie Foster could do so much good." See also Kim Ficera, "Don't Quote Me: Jodie Foster and the Great Lesbian Hope", After Ellen, 10 August 2005. Finally, see also "Jodie Foster comes out with emotional tribute to her girlfriend of 14 years", Daily Mail, 12 December 2007.
Father: Lucius Foster III (left home a few months before Jodie Foster was born)
Mother: Evelyn Almond ("Brandy", d. 13-May-2019)
Sister: Lucinda Foster (b. 1952)
Sister: Constance Foster (actress, b. 1955)
Brother: Lucius Foster IV ("Buddy", actor, b. 12-Jul-1957)
Girlfriend: Cydney Bernard (film producer, cohabited 1993-2008)
Son: Charles Foster (b. 1998, father a secret)
Son: Kit Foster (b. 29-Sep-2001)
Girlfriend: Cynthia Mort (TV producer, dated 2008)
Wife: Alexandra Hedison (photographer, together since 2013, m. Apr-2014)
High School: Le Lycee Francais, Los Angeles, CA (1980)
University: BA Literature, Yale University (1985)
Endorsement of Honda in Japan
Oscar for Best Actress 1989 for The Accused
Oscar for Best Actress 1992 for The Silence of the Lambs
Golden Globe 1989 for The Accused
Golden Globe 1992 for The Silence of the Lambs
Drug Possession: Cocaine Boston, MA (Dec-1983)
In Vitro Fertilization
Asteroid Namesake 17744 Jodiefoster
Risk Factors: Smoking, Cocaine, Yoga, Ophidiophobia
TELEVISION
The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan Anne Chan (1972)
FILMOGRAPHY AS DIRECTOR
Money Monster (12-May-2016)
The Beaver (16-Mar-2011)
Home for the Holidays (3-Nov-1995)
Little Man Tate (6-Sep-1991)
FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
Hotel Artemis (7-Jun-2018)
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché (11-May-2018) · Narrator
Elysium (7-Aug-2013)
Carnage (1-Sep-2011)
The Beaver (16-Mar-2011) · Meredith Black
Motherhood (21-Jan-2009) · Herself
Nim's Island (4-Apr-2008)
The Brave One (6-Sep-2007) · Erica Bain
Inside Man (16-May-2006)
Flightplan (23-Sep-2005)
A Very Long Engagement (27-Oct-2004) · Elodie Gordes
Panic Room (29-Mar-2002) · Meg Altman
The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (18-Jan-2002)
Anna and the King (6-Dec-1999) · Anna
Contact (11-Jul-1997) · Ellie Arroway
Nell (23-Dec-1994) · Nell
All About Bette (17-Jul-1994) · Herself
Maverick (20-May-1994) · Annabelle Bransford
Sommersby (5-Feb-1993) · Laurel
Shadows and Fog (30-Mar-1992) · Prostitute
Little Man Tate (6-Sep-1991) · Dede Tate
The Silence of the Lambs (30-Jan-1991) · Clarice Starling
Catchfire (3-Apr-1990)
The Accused (14-Oct-1988) · Sarah Tobias
Stealing Home (26-Aug-1988)
Siesta (11-Nov-1987)
Five Corners (11-Sep-1987) · Linda
Mesmerized (1986) · Victoria
The Blood of Others (2-May-1984)
The Hotel New Hampshire (9-Mar-1984) · Frannie
Svengali (9-Mar-1983)
O'Hara's Wife (8-Jul-1982)
Carny (13-Jun-1980)
Foxes (29-Feb-1980)
Candleshoe (16-Dec-1977)
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (25-Dec-1976) · Rynn
Freaky Friday (17-Dec-1976) · Annabel
Bugsy Malone (4-Nov-1976)
Taxi Driver (8-Feb-1976) · Iris
Echoes of a Summer (6-Feb-1976) · Deirdre Striden
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (9-Dec-1974) · Audrey
Rookie of the Year (3-Oct-1973)
One Little Indian (20-Jun-1973)
Tom Sawyer (14-Mar-1973) · Becky Thatcher
Kansas City Bomber (2-Aug-1972)
Napoleon and Samantha (19-Jul-1972)
AKA Alicia Christian Foster