LOS ANGELES — Academy Award-winning actress Jodie Foster is using her decades of experience in the film industry to guide and inspire the next generation of actors. While acknowledging that she finds some aspects of Generation Z “really annoying,” Foster hopes to help young stars find their own paths to success and teach them the importance of relaxation.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Foster expressed her difficulty in understanding the attitudes towards work that she has encountered among younger actors. She jokingly described them as “annoying” in the workplace, often displaying a lackadaisical approach to their responsibilities. Foster gave an example of correcting grammatical errors and receiving the response of why they should be restricted by such conventions.
With a career that began at a young age, Foster has the authority to provide guidance to budding actors. Nominated for an Oscar at just 14 years old for her role in Martin Scorsese’s 1976 film Taxi Driver, Foster had already accumulated more film credits than the director himself. Now, after over five decades in the industry, Foster sees it as her duty to help young female actors navigate the challenges she has already faced.
Foster believes that today’s young performers need to learn how to relax and not overthink their approach to acting. She wants to help them discover a sense of authenticity and personal expression. In fact, Foster reached out to Bella Ramsey, a 20-year-old non-binary actor known for their roles in The Last of Us and Game of Thrones. The two met at an event celebrating women in Hollywood, where Foster asked Ramsey to introduce her. Foster praised Ramsey as an emerging actor representing a new “vector of authenticity” and admired their non-conformity to traditional fashion standards.
In addition to guiding young actors, Foster has challenged common gender stereotypes within her own family. As a mother to two children and living with her wife, Alexandra Hedison, Foster has actively discouraged her older child from adopting toxic masculinity tropes. She confronted the notion that being a man meant mistreating women and explained the damage caused by cultural messages promoting such behavior.
Jodie Foster’s experience and perspective provide valuable insights into the world of acting and the challenges faced by the next generation of actors. With her guidance, young performers may find their own paths to success and learn the importance of staying true to themselves.
Key facts: Jodie Foster, an Academy Award-winning actress, aims to help the next generation of actors find their own paths to success. Foster believes young performers need to learn how to relax and embrace authenticity. She recently reached out to Bella Ramsey as an example of an emerging actor representing a new vision of authenticity. Foster has also challenged gender stereotypes within her family, actively encouraging her children to reject toxic masculinity.