Jodie Foster Embraces a New Side of Herself in a French Film at 61

From the raw power of The Accused to the intense intelligence of The Silence of the Lambs, Jodie Foster has built a career defined by her strength and courage. Now, at 61, the two-time Oscar winner is embarking on a new and unique journey with her first starring role in a French-language film, Rebecca Zlotowski's A Private Life. The experience, she reveals, was both liberating and unexpectedly vulnerable.

The film, which premiered to critical acclaim at this year's Cannes Film Festival and also generated significant buzz at the Toronto International Film Festival, casts Foster in the role of Dr. Lillian Steiner, an American psychoanalyst whose patient dies under mysterious circumstances. This death sets off a chain of events that forces Lillian to re-examine her own fractured family life and her complicated relationship with her ex-husband.

For Foster, starring in a French film has been a long-held dream. "It took me a long time to find the right project," she said. "This script was truly wonderful. It has the same pace we Americans love, with twists and turns at every corner." She describes A Private Life as a romantic comedy that blends a Hitchcockian mystery with a quirky amateur detective story, all while delving into deep psychological themes.

The experience of working in the French film industry was a refreshing one for Foster. Unlike the Hollywood system, where budgets and compromises often dictate the creative process, she found that in France, "the directors are kings." She observed that French filmmakers are uncompromising in their vision, which requires a complete trust and collaboration from the actors.

Working in French also forced Foster to explore a new side of her acting. She revealed that she usually speaks with a lower tone in English, but in French, she had to raise her voice, which was a new and challenging experience. This role, she believes, has redefined her career in ways she never expected. Dr. Lillian Steiner is a character unlike any she has played before, a stark contrast to the tough, determined women she's known for portraying, from the rape victim in The Accused to the young FBI trainee in The Silence of the Lambs and the single mother in Panic Room.

In A Private Life, Foster stars opposite legendary French actor Daniel Auteuil. A poignant scene takes place during a car ride in the rain, where Lillian finally asks the question her ex-husband, played by Auteuil, has been avoiding for years: "So why did you leave me?" Foster describes the moment as "so moving," capturing the raw emotion of a woman who, after 15 years, finally has the courage to seek closure.

For Foster, A Private Life is more than just a movie; it's a story of a woman’s resilience and struggle under immense pressure. She sees the film as a form of liberation for herself, a way to move beyond some of her more recent, less-acclaimed works. The film is set to be released in theaters on November 26 of this year, and critics are already buzzing with anticipation to see this new, compelling side of Jodie Foster.