Jodie Foster Reflects on Her Sister’s Role in Taxi Driver and Today’s Changing Standards for Intimacy in Film

Jodie Foster in ‘Taxi Driver’ (left); Jodie Foster in 2025 (right).
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Jodie Foster recently reflected on her role in the iconic 1976 film Taxi Driver, in which she portrayed a 12-year-old girl involved in sex trafficking. Speaking on the January 19 episode of the podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Foster provided insights into her experiences during the film’s production, emphasizing that the raciness of certain scenes may have been overstated.

At the time of filming, Foster was only 12 years old when Martin Scorsese cast her as Iris, opposite Robert De Niro’s character, Travis Bickle. O’Brien noted the film’s significant impact on 1970s cinema, acknowledging that such foresight was impossible during its production.

Foster described her working relationship with Scorsese, recalling that she had previously collaborated with him on Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore at just nine years old. She commended his remarkable direction and vision, stating, “He was this extraordinary up-and-coming director.”

On the subject of scenes requiring body doubles, Foster revealed that her sister, Connie, played that role for some of the more suggestive moments in Taxi Driver. “They weren’t really very suggestive,” she remarked, reflecting on the concerns expressed by the Board of Education regarding young actors in adult roles. “They were concerned that somehow, you know, playing these characters that we would be confused about ourselves and who we were.”

She recounted a challenge the filmmakers faced when the Board of Education refused to sign her work permit, necessitating legal intervention to demonstrate her competency. Part of the agreement was to have another actor perform any sexually suggestive scenes, thus leading to Connie’s involvement.

While discussing the content of the scenes, Foster stated, “I think it was her taking down her shirt to below her shoulders, right? So that’s nothing.” O’Brien humorously remarked that similar scenes are now commonplace on children’s programming, to which Foster agreed. “And I think I was supposed to like undo his fly. That was about it,” she added, appreciating the presence of her sister on set.

Foster, who is currently promoting her new film A Private Life, has also shared her thoughts on the challenges faced by child actors in the industry. Reflecting on her own experiences, she noted that many of her peers were not as fortunate in avoiding abuse during their careers. “I’ve really had to examine that, like, how did I get saved?” she said.

She attributed her safety in part to the power she gained at a young age, particularly after receiving an Oscar nomination for Taxi Driver. This distinction, she believes, placed her in a different category where she was “too dangerous to touch.”