During a recent appearance at the Marrakech Film Festival, Jodie Foster spoke about her experience filming Robert De Niro Taxi Driver, highlighting her Oscar-nominated role alongside De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s 1975 classic. Foster revealed surprising reflections about working with De Niro, who portrayed the film’s central character, Travis Bickle.
Jodie Foster Shares Her Memories from the Taxi Driver Set
Foster, who played an important role in Scorsese’s film, addressed an audience at the festival as she discussed working with De Niro. The pair’s performances in Taxi Driver earned them both Academy Award nominations. Revisiting her interactions with her acclaimed co-star, Foster said in front of those gathered at the event,
“Maybe you would have been here, when Robert De Niro was here. One of the greatest American actors, so proud to have worked with him, not the most interesting person. And at that time he was very much in character, as he was in those days, so he was really uninteresting.”
— Jodie Foster, Audience Address
The Film and Its Iconic Cast
Taxi Driver follows Travis Bickle, a solitary night-shift driver in New York City as he battles to maintain his mental health amidst the sprawling city. Alongside Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster, the cast featured Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle, Leonard Harris, and Albert Brooks. The screenplay was written by Paul Schrader, who also worked with Scorsese on the film Raging Bull.
Taxi Driver’s Legacy and Lasting Impact
The film remains a seminal work in American cinema, noted for its intense portrayal of isolation and urban life. The collaboration among Scorsese, Schrader, and a cast including De Niro and Foster contributed to Taxi Driver’s enduring status, and it continues to shape perceptions of psychological drama in film. Foster’s candid remarks offer a unique window into her experiences with the actors and creative team that made the film a classic.
