Academy Award-winning actress Jodie Foster has shared a surprising revelation about her first encounter with cinematic legend Robert De Niro, describing him as 'really uninteresting' during the filming of Martin Scorsese's 1976 masterpiece, Taxi Driver.
A Pivotal Meeting on the Taxi Driver Set
Foster, then just 12 years old, recounted the story during an on-stage conversation on Sunday 30 November 2025 at the Marrakech Film Festival, where she was receiving a tribute award. She recalled that De Niro, already an established actor at 32, took her under his wing as they prepared for their roles.
'We'd run the lines and run the lines a second and third time,' Foster, now 63, told the audience. She explained that De Niro was deeply immersed in his character, Travis Bickle, a mentally declining Vietnam veteran. This intense commitment to method acting made their shared lunches a puzzling experience for the young Foster.
The 'Uninteresting' Lunches and an Acting Epiphany
'I remember having these lunches with him and being like, 'What is happening? When can I go home?'' she confessed. Foster found herself chatting with waiters and other diners simply to fill the silence, as De Niro remained in character, offering little in the way of conventional conversation.
The dynamic shifted dramatically during their third lunch together. 'He finally walked me through improvisation,' Foster said. This conversation proved to be a watershed moment in her understanding of the craft. 'It opened my eyes to what acting could be,' she stated, realising that her own approach had been limited to simply saying lines and waiting for cues.
'I realised at 12, 'Oh, it's my fault because I haven't brought enough to the table.'' She described the excitement of this artistic awakening, recalling being 'sweaty and excited and giggly' as she rushed back to her hotel room to tell her mother about her epiphany. From that point on, she understood that building a character was a profoundly different endeavour from acting naturally.
A Lasting Legacy from a Challenging Role
This is not the first time Foster has reflected on her experience playing the controversial role of a child sex worker in the acclaimed film. In a previous interview, she recalled that both De Niro and Scorsese were somewhat intimidated by her youth on set, with Scorsese often giggling nervously during their interactions.
Her initial impression of an 'uninteresting' co-star was completely overturned by De Niro's dedication, a lesson in method acting that fundamentally shaped the trajectory of her own illustrious career.
