May 22, 2025: Jodie Foster, despite being fluent in French, has revealed that fear held her back from accepting roles in French-language films for years. Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival, the Oscar-winning actress opened up about her long-standing hesitation.
“I was afraid,” Foster admitted in an interview with Deadline. “A number of directors offered me projects, but I turned them down. I thought someone who is truly French should do it.”
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Foster has finally taken the leap with her latest film, A Private Life, in which she plays a French-speaking psychiatrist. The role marks her first major French-language performance since Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s A Very Long Engagement in 2005. The film premiered at Cannes to a 10-minute standing ovation.
She shared that speaking French on screen changes her entire persona: “When I act in French, I become a totally different person. My confidence drops, my voice gets higher — it creates a whole new character.”
Foster also reflected on the difference between acting and directing. While she’s an accomplished director, she says her approach as an actor is more instinctive: “Directors think big-picture. Actors live in the moment. I go with my gut — I never went to conservatory school.”
The role in A Private Life has allowed Foster to explore new dimensions of her craft and break free from a fear she’s harbored for decades.