Jodie Foster Reflects on Early Impressions of Robert De Niro During 'Taxi Driver'

During a recent conversation at the Marrakech Film Festival, Jodie Foster shared her early experiences working with Robert De Niro on Martin Scorsese's 1976 film "Taxi Driver." At just 12 years old, Foster initially found De Niro "really uninteresting" due to his intense commitment to Method acting. She recounted how he would take her to coffee shops to rehearse lines, but his immersion in character left her feeling confused and bored. “He was very much in character… really uninteresting,” Foster stated, humorously noting that she often ended up conversing with restaurant staff instead.

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Foster's perception of De Niro shifted significantly during their third lunch together when he introduced her to improvisation. This experience was pivotal for Foster, who described it as an "epiphany" that transformed her understanding of acting. She realized that she had merely been reciting lines rather than engaging in character development. “I’ve just been saying lines and waiting for my next line and acting naturally, but building a character is something different,” she explained. This breakthrough laid the groundwork for her future success in the film industry.

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Foster also reminisced about her first trip to the Cannes Film Festival, which was initially met with resistance from the studio due to costs. However, her mother insisted on the importance of the experience, emphasizing Foster's ability to speak French. Foster humorously recalled that De Niro, Harvey Keitel, and Scorsese were apprehensive about the film's violent reputation and avoided public appearances, leaving her to conduct interviews in French on their behalf.

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In her conversation, Foster expressed concern for the well-being of young actors today, urging for better guidance and support. She noted the pressures of the industry and the importance of maintaining a clear distinction between public and private life. Additionally, Foster addressed the historical lack of opportunities for female directors, highlighting a positive shift in recent years. “I never saw a female name” among mainstream directors, she remarked, before acknowledging that her last four films have all been directed by women.

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Currently promoting her latest film, "A Private Life," Foster expressed her intention to continue making films, including more projects in French. “I’ll be making films until I die,” she affirmed, reflecting her enduring passion for storytelling and the film industry.

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• “He finally walked me through improvisation by the time we had our third lunch together, and it opened my eyes to what acting could be,” — Jodie Foster

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• “I feel like, wait, where are their parents? And why is nobody telling them that they should stop doing so many movies or maybe not be so drunk on the red carpet? I want to take care of them because I know how dangerous it is.” — Jodie Foster

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• “If you’re making a movie that has a certain risk attached to it … they would say, ‘Wow, there’s no woman that’s directed a movie that cost $125 million,'” — Jodie Foster

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• “I mean, really up until 15 years ago, when you look at the list for mainstream movies and you go down the director’s list, I never saw a female name,” — Jodie Foster

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• “I’ll be making films until I die,” — Jodie Foster

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Foster's reflections on her early experiences with De Niro and her insights into the film industry underscore her commitment to nurturing future generations of actors and advocating for greater representation in filmmaking.

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