At the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2025, Jodie Foster held an intimate and compelling press conference for her latest film, A Private Life. In this candid session, the veteran actress—now embracing her first fully French-speaking lead role—discussed the transformative challenge of inhabiting the character of Lilian Steiner, a renowned psychoanalyst navigating the murky interstices of personal grief and professional duty. Foster revealed that acting in French was not merely a linguistic exercise but a journey into an entirely new facet of her artistic persona. Reflecting on the experience, she explained, “When I act in French, I’m a totally different person. I have a much higher voice, I’m much less confident, and every nuance feels magnified.” This self-admission underscored both the vulnerability and the remarkable commitment required to step outside her Hollywood comfort zone.
