Jodie Foster Wants To Revisit ‘Silence Of The Lambs’ Character

In a world where reboots and sequels are hard to avoid, Jodie Foster admits she is interested in revisiting at least one of her iconic roles.

Late last month Foster was gifted with the Lifetime Achievement Award at CinemaCon’s Big Screen Achievement Awards in Las Vegas. Ahead of the event, Foster dished to members of the press, including International Business Times, about her life in the entertainment business and her award-winning performance in 1991’s “The Silence of the Lambs.”

“I love the idea of a Lifetime Achievement Award. I feel like I’ve been here a really long time,” Foster first told press of the honor. After starting out in the business at just 3 years old, the now 55-year-old said she has witnessed “different phases of the industry” and, as a result, has faced many challenges.

“The first was transitioning from being a child actor to being a grownup actor. I kind of don’t reminder it as a challenge,” Foster said. “I think the transition from acting to directing was difficult because sometimes you have to let go of the ring you’re holding onto in order to grab onto the one that allows you to evolve as a filmmaker.”

Foster also recalled the difficulty that came with being nominated for an Academy Award as a child. “I was nominated for an Oscar when I was 12 and I lost. That was just a huge moment for me. I’ll never forget that,” Foster shared. “I’ll never forget being in the auditorium. They said my name, and the second they said ‘Jo,’ I broke out in hives everywhere. My face was red. Everywhere on my body was itching. I was kind of relieved when I lost, actually. I was like ‘How am I going to do this? I’m itching all over my body.’”

The actress, who can be seen next in the “Hotel Artemis,” said she’s also struggled with some of her films not getting the recognition she feels they deserved. “There are certain gems that, I think, movies that I love that meant a lot to me, that mean a lot to me, and they may not have been perfect films, but sometimes I’m sad that they went by so fast,” Foster said, specifically naming 2011’s “The Beaver.”

“I think was a really big moment in my life as a filmmaker. It is an odd movie, I knew it wasn’t for everybody...I think its a film that I return to a lot, that my thoughts return to a lot,” Foster said.

While Foster noted her role in “The Accused” as her most challenging to date and her part in “Contact” as one she’ll always admire, when asked, she said she would prefer to return to her “The Silence of the Lambs” character Clarice Starling above all others.

Though Starling, a young FBI cadet who tracks down a serial killer with the help of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, played by Sir Anthony Hopkins, has been portrayed by another actress since Foster, the film star said she is still interested in exploring who Clarice is now that she is older.

“I would absolutely like to go back to Clarice Starling,” Foster said. “‘Silence’ was such an extraordinary experience and she was such an amazing character.”