In conversation with... Jodie Foster, on The Silence of the Lambs | BFI

Producer, director and actor Jodie Foster joins Edith Bowman to talk about her starring role as FBI agent Clarice Starling in Jonathan Demme's classic thriller, The Silence of the Lambs. Foster talks about lobbying for the part and Starling's importance as a feminist film icon.

[SteveBlom]

Jodie is amazing but the interviewer does a great job in asking the right questions and not stomping on her answers. Very enjoyable interview.

[heresjohnny]

It's nice to see a woman aging naturally in Hollywood, rare these days. Such a fantastic actress and a great conversation.

[uptown]

In this interview, Foster's intelligence just sparkles. What a sharp, insightful mind.

[lisabrown]

No one could have played Clarice better than Jodi Foster. Period.

[angiegreen]

Jodie is something to behold, such eloquence, awareness of her words and sooo succinct. I could watch silence of the lamb every month or two and still be riveted to my seat.

[TimDyck]

Jodie Foster is one of the greatest actresses of our age. On screen you don’t see Foster, just the character, Sarah Tobias and Clarice Starling are so completely different people yet you can’t see any Josie Foster in either, she completely becomes the character. From Iris to Jean Thomas she has played so many parts but has completely become each one.

[lindafan]

Jodie Foster always had a commanding presence in all her films and by this interview in real life, too. Fantastic interview!!

[siddharthnaagar]

This woman and her razor sharp intelligence

[encarnaruizgarcia]

I was seventeen when it was released and I went to see it with my mother. She left us eleven years ago. Nice memories 🌹❤️

[MrUndersolo]

Glad she did this...
The world is much more interesting with her in it...

[Stefarooh]

I could never imagine Michelle Pffeiffer as Clarice Starling, Demme's first choice. This was Jodie's role. The role of her career.

[Nerevarme]

I watched Silence of the Lambs for the first time today and thank you so much for uploading this. I learned a lot. I was a toddler when this came out so I've always known about it in pop culture but never seen it.

The intersections between the actors progression of their career and the roles they play are really interesting to me. Jodi saying she wanted to make silence of the lambs after reading it then found out it was already being made and lobbied for the role.

"I had just won an oscar...you know. Maybe I can make this".

So I look up what oscar she won before that, on my birth year in 1989 a movie called "The Accused" I had never heard of. She said how it was really important for her to be in a role with a character with agency because in her career up until that point she was always acted upon, and she says it would be remiss to not say that's the history of women. But I find that very important. That she won her oscar for a leading role in The Accused about a woman who was a victim of rape then went on to lobby to be in a movie as a hero to save a woman. I find that really poignant and powerful.

[josephthomaswhiting]

What a talent! I love the perspective and intelligence she brings to every level of her work.

[robertstirman]

This woman is a true artist. Pure genius.

[Lijaskurzeme]

Contact is brilliant on so many levels and for so many reasons.
It is utterly profound; and my favorite movie ever.

[jmeekselectric]

She is aging very well. Such a classy woman.

[MrParkerman]

That accent she is so desperately trying to hide! Pure West Virginia!

[michaelmuldowney]

Lambs in a movie theatre is a WHOLE different experience. Tak Fujomotos incredible photography never got the credit it deserved.

[ItsChrissieK]

I love Jodie Foster, my all time favourite actor. I have such a great respect for her she puts everything into her passion which is acting and directing. She shines through her passion it’s so phenomenal. She’s such a unique actor who really cares so much about her role as the character. It’s so special. This interview was incredible I love to listen to her.

[Zebula]

I recently read the book for the first time after having seen the movie probably 20 times or so. It's astonishing how much of the book is actually in the film. Very, very little is left out.
Easily my favourite Oscar winning film ever, and of course, Foster's and Hopkins' roles are a huge part of that.