Jodie Foster Takes on Her First French-Speaking Lead Role in Cannes Premiere: 'I'm a Totally Different Person'

Published: May 21, 2025

Jodie Foster premiered her French film, "Vie Privée" (or "A Private Life"), on May 20 at the Cannes Film Festival, marking her first lead role spoken entirely in the language.

Foster, 62, spoke mostly in French at the film's press conference, recalling being "afraid" to take on leading French-speaking roles before now. "A number of directors offered me projects, but I was too scared to act in French," she told the crowd, per Variety. "I thought someone who was more familiar with French should do so."

Foster's Journey to Fluency

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Foster attended a French-language prep school, which made her fluent in the language. She has supported roles in films like 2004's "Un Long Dimanche de Fiançailles" (A Very Long Engagement) and has provided the French dub of her English-language performances.

"The great thing is that when I act in French, I'm a totally different person," she said. "I have a much higher voice, I'm much less confident, and I get very frustrated because I can't express myself as well. And so it actually creates a new kind of character for me."

Foster's Next Goals

Following her first Emmy Award win last year for "True Detective: Night Country," Foster has among her upcoming producing projects the upcoming miniseries "The Beast in Me" starring Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys. When the topic of her next onscreen goals came up at the "Vie Privée" press conference, the actress-filmmaker expressed an interest in something comedic: "The older I get, the more I want to be more lighthearted."

"Vie Privée" Receives Standing Ovation

"Vie Privée," to be distributed by Sony Pictures Classics on a to-be-announced date, received an eight-minute standing ovation after its world premiere screening, outlets reported. Co-written by Rebecca Zlotowski, Anne Berest, and Gaëlle Macé, it costars Daniel Auteuil, Virginie Efira, Mathieu Amalric, Vincent Lacoste, and Luana Bajrami.