Jodie Foster opens up about 'Taxi Driver' experience as Scorsese remembers her set presence

Martin Scorsese still remembers being impressed by Jodie Foster’s confidence and professionalism when she was only 12 years old while filming the iconic 1976 drama Taxi Driver.

The legendary filmmaker reflected on working with Foster during the Taxi Driver 50th Anniversary Screening and Panel at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, where he praised the actress for having a remarkable presence on set despite her young age.

Scorsese, 83, recalled first meeting Foster while working on his 1974 film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore before they reunited for Taxi Driver.

"She had more control on set and I kind of depended on her in a way," Scorsese said during the event. "She had authority."

The director added that Foster brought a level of confidence that stood out during the challenging production.

"It was really quite, quite, quite supportive, put it that way, because it was all hard to shoot," he said.

Foster, now 63, looked back on her experience making the film alongside Scorsese and Robert De Niro, explaining that she already had years of acting experience as a child performer at the time.

The actress recalled a memorable behind-the-scenes moment when Scorsese and De Niro struggled to give her direction during a scene because they were aware of how young she was.

"It felt fun. It felt like a game and it felt important but also whimsical," Foster said, describing the atmosphere on set.

Foster also credited De Niro for introducing her to improvisation while working on the film, saying the experience felt like a turning point in understanding acting.

She remembered realizing that acting could be more creative and open-ended, saying it was like "a light bulb went off" in her mind.

The actress earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Iris in Taxi Driver, while De Niro was nominated for Best Actor and the film received a Best Picture nomination.

Foster also shared that working with filmmakers like Scorsese and Spike Lee became her own form of film education.

"I got to look over the shoulder of all of these extraordinary filmmakers," she said, explaining that watching their creative decisions shaped her career and approach to storytelling.

Released in 1976, Taxi Driver went on to become one of Scorsese’s most influential films and remains a landmark in American cinema.