Jodie Foster (born November 19, 1962) is an American actress who began her career as a tomboyish and mature child actress. Although she demonstrated a flair for comedy, she is best known for her dramatic portrayals of misfit characters set against intimidating challenges.
Foster began her professional career as a very young child in television, appearing first in commercials. After repeated performances in such TV shows as Gunsmoke, The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, and My Three Sons, she starred in her own short-lived series, Paper Moon (1974), based on the 1973 film of the same name. She also appeared in a number of Disney films, beginning with Napoleon and Samantha (1972).
Director Martin Scorsese cast Foster in a bit part in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) before giving her the role of Iris, the 12-year-old prostitute who becomes the object of the title character’s obsession in Taxi Driver (1976); her precocious and complex performance earned her critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination as best supporting actress. Her later films as a child actress were less impressive, but her performances were consistently admired.
Perhaps because of her screen image of early maturity, Foster was never dismissed as merely a child actress but instead was able to make a relatively smooth transition to adult roles.
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