Martin Scorsese has reflected on working with Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver, revealing that the future Oscar winner displayed remarkable confidence and authority on set despite being just 12 years old at the time. The filmmaker shared the memories during a 50th-anniversary screening and panel discussion for the 1976 classic at the Tribeca Festival, where he reunited with Foster, Robert De Niro and screenwriter Paul Schrader.
Looking back on their collaboration, Scorsese recalled being struck by Foster's professionalism and maturity from a young age. He said that she carried herself with such confidence that he often found himself relying on her presence during filming. “She had authority,” Scorsese said, praising the young actress's ability to handle the challenging production with ease.
Foster played Iris, a teenage sex worker who forms an unlikely connection with De Niro's troubled taxi driver Travis Bickle. The role earned Foster her first Academy Award nomination and remains one of the most acclaimed child performances in film history.
During the discussion, Foster reflected on how Taxi Driver became a turning point in her career. Although she had been acting since the age of three, she said the film introduced her to a deeper understanding of the craft, largely thanks to De Niro's mentorship and his emphasis on improvisation. The actress recalled that working alongside Scorsese and De Niro felt like attending film school. She credited the experience with helping her realise that acting involved creating a character rather than simply reciting lines.
The reunion also sparked memories of the challenges involved in making the controversial drama, which centred on themes of loneliness, obsession and urban decay. Nearly five decades after its release, the film continues to resonate with audiences and is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made.
Released in 1976, Taxi Driver won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and received four Academy Award nominations, including acting nods for both De Niro and Foster. For Scorsese, however, one of his strongest memories remains the confidence shown by a young Foster, whose commanding presence left a lasting impression long before she became one of Hollywood's most celebrated actresses.
