The 5 Shocking Secrets Jodie Foster Revealed About Taxi Driver's Set Decades Later
Jodie Foster: A Brief Biography Profile Leading to *Taxi Driver*
Jodie Foster, born Alicia Christian Foster, has one of the most remarkable career trajectories in Hollywood history, transitioning seamlessly from a child star to an Oscar-winning adult actress, director, and producer.
- Full Name: Alicia Christian Foster
- Born: November 19, 1962, in Los Angeles, California
- Early Career Start: Began her career at age three, appearing in a Coppertone sunblock commercial.
- Television Debut: Her first television appearance was in the sitcom *Mayberry R.F.D.* in 1969.
- Film Debut: *Menace on the Mountain* (1970), a Disney TV film.
- Pre-*Taxi Driver* Notable Roles: She appeared in several Disney films, including *Napoleon and Samantha* (1972) and *Freaky Friday* (1976), and the critically acclaimed *Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore* (1974), also directed by Martin Scorsese.
- Age During *Taxi Driver* Filming: 12 years old.
- Role in *Taxi Driver*: Iris, a 12/13-year-old runaway and prostitute who goes by the street name "Easy."
- Immediate Impact: Received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress at age 14 for the role.
- Later Career Highlights: Won two Academy Awards for Best Actress for *The Accused* (1988) and *The Silence of the Lambs* (1991).
- Education: Graduated from Yale University in 1985 with a degree in literature.
The Uncomfortable Truth: Behind the Scenes of Iris's Controversial Role
The character of Iris "Easy," a child prostitute working the seedy streets of 1970s New York City, was instantly the most controversial element of *Taxi Driver*. The subject matter, especially given the actress's age, necessitated extraordinary precautions and created a tense environment on the set.
Psychiatric Assessments and Legal Hurdles
Due to the sensitive and explicit nature of the script, Foster had to undergo psychiatric assessments to ensure she was emotionally capable of handling the material. The studio and production team also had to navigate significant legal hurdles. A major requirement was that her older sister, Connie Foster, had to stand in as her body double for any scenes deemed too suggestive or explicit for a minor.
Foster's Own Comfort Level
Despite the external controversy, Foster has consistently maintained that she was unbothered by the role itself. Having been a working actress since she was three, she viewed the character of Iris as just another part, a professional challenge. In a 2016 interview, she reflected, "I think it was only uncomfortable maybe for other people, but it wasn't really for me. I was an actress. I'd been an actress for a long time." Her detached, professional approach to the material is a testament to her precocious talent, but it also contributed to the startling dynamic she shared with her adult colleagues.
De Niro, Scorsese, and the 12-Year-Old Who 'Scared' Them
Perhaps the most shocking revelations from Foster's recent interviews concern her interaction with the film’s two towering figures: leading man Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese. Foster has claimed that both men were actually "scared" of her on the set.
The 'Scared' Directors and Co-Star
Foster explained that her professional demeanor and long history in the industry—despite her youth—created an unusual power dynamic. "I think they were scared of me," she said, referring to Scorsese and De Niro. She attributes this to her self-assuredness and the fact that she was already a seasoned professional who knew her lines and hit her marks, contrasting with their more improvisational and intense method acting styles. Scorsese and De Niro, who were themselves navigating the gritty, intense material, were reportedly taken aback by the young actress's calm control over such a challenging role.
Robert De Niro: From 'Uninteresting' to Inspiration
Foster also shared a candid first impression of her legendary co-star, Robert De Niro, who played the disturbed vigilante Travis Bickle. She initially found him "uninteresting" during their first encounter, as he was quiet and reserved. However, this initial impression quickly changed as she witnessed his transformation into Bickle. Foster has since credited De Niro’s intense, immersive preparation for the role—which included driving a taxi for weeks—with opening her eyes to the true potential of method acting. She stated that seeing his commitment "opened my eyes to what acting could be," recognizing his quiet intensity as a form of profound dedication to his craft.
The Enduring Legacy of a Cinematic Masterpiece
*Taxi Driver* was not just a critical success; it became a cultural phenomenon that defined a generation of filmmaking. The film won the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for De Niro, Best Supporting Actress for Foster, and Best Original Score.
The John Hinckley Jr. Connection
The film’s legacy, however, is forever shadowed by a real-life tragedy. In 1981, John Hinckley Jr. became obsessed with Jodie Foster after repeatedly watching *Taxi Driver*. His delusion led him to attempt the assassination of then-President Ronald Reagan, an act he claimed was an effort to impress Foster. This shocking event cemented the film's place not just as a piece of art, but as a controversial cultural touchstone linked to real-world violence, a controversy that Foster has had to live with for her entire career.
2024 Reflections on Hollywood and the Future of Acting
Even today, Foster continues to speak about the film's impact. During the 2024 awards season, she was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Oscar alongside De Niro (for different films), which led to an Oscars joke referencing their 1976 nominations, to which Foster reacted with good humor. More broadly, Foster has used her reflections on her early career, including *Taxi Driver*, to comment on the modern acting landscape. In a 2024 interview, she expressed doubts about the current state of the profession, stating she doesn't know why anyone would want to be an actor now, suggesting the industry has changed dramatically since the raw, character-driven era that produced *Taxi Driver*. Her enduring connection to the film, and her willingness to discuss its complexity, ensures that the cinematic masterpiece remains a relevant and hotly discussed piece of cinema history.
The performance of Iris "Easy" remains a pinnacle of teenage acting, a lightning rod of controversy, and a foundational moment for Jodie Foster’s legendary career. Her recent comments offer a final, fascinating layer to the story: that the real power on the *Taxi Driver* set might have belonged not to the grizzled veterans, but to the self-possessed 12-year-old girl who simply saw herself as an actress doing her job.
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