Interview: Jodie Foster

Oscar-winning actress, director and producer Jodie Foster is best known for playing intense characters in Panic Room and The Silence of the Lambs, so her latest role in new adventure com Nim’s Island (alongside Abigail Breslin and Gerard Butler) was a very different challenge for the star. Mum-of-two Jodie tells us about getting back into comedy…

How did you feel doing such a broad comedy after so much drama?
I don’t know why I don’t do it more often, except that people don’t want me for comedies. I think that good comedies are really hard to write but it's fun to explore the lighter part of your personality, but I had to really knock down some doors in order to get this.

So did you really have to go after this role?
Yes, the directors were all for me but I think the studio was like, ‘Oh, really? Jodie Foster in comedy?’ I understand and probably would make that decision too but sometimes though, when an actor is really tenacious because they know that it speaks to them, you always have to be careful because you know that’s going to be the person you end up with because when all the chips fall down, that’s the person that’s still standing going, “I’ll do it! I’ll do it!”

Why does it speak to you so much?
There are a lot of reasons. I’ve wanted to make a movie that my kids could see, and that they could be a part of, and that they would love and I’m tired of the kind of CGI digital laser beam stuff, and I think that kids are yearning for this kind of ‘back to nature’ simple idea of building their own hut and making their own food. 

Did you have to do anything specific to get into shape for the action and water stunts in this film?
My life is pretty sporty so I love physical movies. I loved the stuff I had to do in Panic Room and Brave One and I like being able to use my body in order to express myself, because it’s very primal and you don’t really get that opportunity in life. Certainly women don’t get that opportunity that often.

Do you consider yourself an outdoor sort of person?
I’m surprisingly outdoorsy actually, but I like organized outdoor stuff. I like hikes that have little signposts. I ski a lot but I don’t ski out of bounds. And I like hot showers and room service!

Did you offer your co-star Abigail Breslin tips because of your own background as a child actor?
Well, I don’t really need to give Abigail any tips, she’s pretty solid; she’s got a great family and she’s very well-adjusted, and she’s just a great kid. But there’s a lot about her that’s different than me. I can honestly say that I feel Abigail was born to be an actress because she has this well of emotion that’s completely available to her. I did not have that edge; it did not come naturally to me, it was something that I had to learn, and as an adult, I’m not even sure I have learned that completely.

What do you think the difference is between a child actor that makes it as a successful adult actor, and a child actor who doesn’t?
I don’t know if that’s really the final goal. Do we all have to make transitions into being adult actors? I know a lot of really great ex-child actors who are now real estate brokers and dentists, and they went on to do other things in their lives. They had this career, and for whatever reason at 16 or 17, they changed it into something else. I wouldn’t say that’s an unsuccessful story. The fear, of course, is you want to be a well-adjusted person, and you hope that your child-actor will evolve into a well-adjusted person who’s sound and safe. But in terms of actually making the transition, I think the key was to play characters whose age is not really the point of the story, and when you turn 18 or 19, that allows people to see you as a character and not just as your age.

Did you children (Charlie, 9, and Kit, 6) go with you to Australia?
Yes, they were on the Gold Coast with the mini-golf, and the outback rodeo show, and they loved it! It was fantastic; they got to pet the koalas, emus and the kangaroos; I got all these pictures of them just hanging out with the kangaroos so it was fantastic!

How hard is it to juggle motherhood and your career? Can you have it all?
Well, you can do everything, but you can’t do everything well. I think we all struggle with that, especially with kids because it’s not a black or white area. Your first assistant cameraman is either in focus, or out of focus, but it doesn’t work like that with kids. It’s not just like, “You did it right,” or “You did it wrong.” There’s a whole complicated journey in between.

How do you raise boys in this era of feminism?
Well, men have their places as well. Freedom is a nice thing for men to learn, that they don’t have to constantly protect and worry about other people, and that they can actually make free choices that are right for them. It’s not about what’s expected for them. They have a different route. I think that’s something that I’ve always been interested in.

Nim’s Island is in cinemas from May 2nd
www.nimsislandmovie.co.uk

Photo: Copyright 2008 Universal Pictures