Movies
Jodie Foster Reveals She Turned Down French Film Roles Before ‘Vie Privée’ Due to Fear: ‘The Dialogu
Jodie Foster Opens Up About Overcoming Fear to Lead in French Film ‘Vie Privée’
Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster revealed at the Cannes Film Festival that although she had previously been offered lead roles in French cinema, she declined them out of fear — despite being fluent in the language. The Hollywood veteran made the confession during a press conference for her new film Vie Privée, which premiered to an enthusiastic eight-minute standing ovation on Tuesday night.
“I had secondary parts in French films before, but I was actually afraid,” Foster admitted. “Several directors offered me projects, but I thought someone more familiar with French should take them on. I was too scared to act in French.”
Foster, who attended a French-language school in Los Angeles, spoke almost entirely in French during the event and shared how taking on a French-language lead had been a long-time goal. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time,” she said. “But learning all the dialogue was a huge challenge.”
Interestingly, Foster said performing in French alters her persona: “The great thing is that when I act in French, I’m a totally different person. My voice is higher, I’m less confident, and I get very frustrated because I can’t express myself as well. It creates a new kind of character for me.”
Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski, Vie Privée stars Foster as a psychotherapist who suspects that a patient’s suicide may actually be a murder. The film marks Foster’s first French production since 2004’s A Very Long Engagement. Co-stars include Daniel Auteuil as her ex-husband and Virginie Edina as the enigmatic patient whose death sets off the investigation.
Looking ahead, Foster expressed a desire to explore lighter genres. “The older I get, the more I want to do comedy,” she said. “I used to only want to be in films that focused on me, but now I find joy in supporting others. It’s fun to be the old lady who says, ‘Don’t worry, it’s not that serious!’”
