Jodie Foster has revealed that she shared her concerns for Robert Downey Jr. while directing him in a 1995 film.
Speaking to Esquire for its profile of the actor, Foster opened up about her experience directing him in the Thanksgiving comedy Home For The Holidays.
Beginning production in 1995, the film overlapped with Downey Jr.’s struggles with addiction and crime, having been arrested in 1994 for possession of heroin, cocaine and a gun.
The Silence Of The Lambs star said that she “took him to one side” before saying: “Look, I couldn’t be more grateful for what you’ve given in this film. But I’m scared of what happens to you next.”
She continued: “Right now you are incredibly good at balancing on the barstool. But it’s really precarious, and I’m not sure how that’s going to end.”
Foster also revealed details about Downey Jr.’s behaviour and performance. She called the actor, who was recently awarded Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars for his role in Oppenheimer, a “genius”, saying: “There was more creativity in his little finger than I will ever have in my whole life”.
However, talking about her experience on the film, which starred Holly Hunter, Charles Durning and Claire Danes among others, she said: “He did not have the discipline.”
“He was so out there that all of that wonderful talent was kind of just, like, flailing his arms in the water and making a big mess. But it was in there somewhere, right? Because now he is somebody who’s become disciplined almost as a way of surviving.”
Foster, who was also nominated for an Oscar this year for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in sports biopic Nyad, added: “I have faith in people’s ability to change if they want it, and he really wanted it.”
Back in February, Foster spoke with NME about her performance in the recent True Detective: Night Country. The Freaky Friday star opened up about her journey into acting, having started her career as a child actor: “You know, I didn’t become an actor because I wanted to act. I had no choice; I started at [age] three.”
