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- Jodie Foster says turning 60 was like ‘a light bulb went off in my head’ (businessinsider.com)
Jodie Foster Finds Peace and Purpose in Her 60s: “Everything Changed”
Hollywood icon Jodie Foster is opening up about a profound shift in her perspective on life and work, revealing that turning 60 brought a newfound sense of ease and purpose after a decade of self-doubt. In a recent interview with AARP, the acclaimed actor, now 63, candidly discussed the hurdles she faced in her 50s and the “light bulb moment” that transformed her outlook.
“My 50s were hard,” Foster admitted, reflecting on a period where she felt like a “failure.” With a career that began in childhood and saw her earn two Academy Awards before the age of 30, Foster confessed to feeling immense pressure to live up to her own potential and compete with her younger, highly successful self. She scored her breakout role in Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver” at just 12, going on to win Oscars for “The Accused” and “The Silence of the Lambs.”
Despite expanding her work behind the camera in her 50s, directing episodes for popular series like “House of Cards” and “Orange Is the New Black,” and earning a Golden Globe for her acting in “The Mauritanian,” Foster still grappled with feelings of inadequacy.
However, everything changed when she hit the big 6-0. “It was like a light bulb went off in my head,” Foster shared.
“Everything changed. I was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t care.
I’m no longer tortured by any of this. I don’t know why I seemed to care so much.'”
This wasn’t the first time a milestone birthday sparked a significant shift for Foster. She told Interview magazine in 2023 that she experienced similar transformations on her 30th and 60th birthdays. Recalling her 50s, she described an “awkward phase” where she felt caught between societal pressures and her desire to avoid cosmetic procedures, all while struggling to reconcile with her past achievements.
Now, in her 60s, Foster approaches work with a “different attitude,” shedding the pressure and embracing a role of support and mentorship. “About really enjoying supporting other people and saying to myself, ‘This is not my time.
I had my time. This is their time, and I get to participate in it by giving them whatever wisdom I have,'” she explained.
Foster isn’t alone in her positive reflections on aging in the public eye. Michelle Obama recently spoke about being more “mindful” of her time in her 60s, humorously noting, “If I’m lucky, I live to 90 and that’s 30 good summers.” Similarly, Jane Fonda revealed that turning 60 was a catalyst, helping her realize a fear of dying with regrets, prompting her to live the latter part of her life with intention.
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- Jodie Foster says turning 60 was like ‘a light bulb went off in my head’ (businessinsider.com)