Straight women, were/are you aware that Jodie Foster is gay?

[MNUse]

Been mildly curious about this for a while. I’m a gay woman and my loving well-meaning mother will occasionally make slightly clumsy attempts to bring up gay films or famous gay women that she assumes I must be interested in because they are also gay (e.g. Ellen Page as was). But she has never mentioned Jodie Foster, and although I haven’t tested it I get the impression she isn’t aware, maybe partly because although JF is now ten years married to a woman she has never quite made the big ‘I am gay’ speech.

AIBU to think a lot of straight women still haven’t really noticed that Jodie Foster is gay? And, if I’m wrong, when did you become aware?

YABU - I know, I’ve known for ages, yawn

YANBU - I didn’t know, or didn’t know until very recently, but anyway, yawn

OBVIOUSLY what matters is her acting, but I am mildly curious about what causes someone’s gayness to register/not register with the wider public

😄 There's always one.

I didn't know. If anyone asked me I might have taken a guess that she is gay, but no one has asked and it hadn't occurred to me to research it! She's amazing though.

She IS quite masculine in her mannerisms, even as a teenager and this is exactly what made me to suspect yrs ago that she was gay so other poster is not imagining it.

It's not a realisation. My point is, no one should have to "come out". Why should there be a fanfare. Just be what and who you are and get on with your life. "coming out" does not prevent homophobia.

Why don't people just Google instead of saying Who? It's obvious posters are talking about a famous person and not their next door neighbour.

It must be said, she was good, but Hopkins is another level entirely.

The director of the film (Jonathan Demme) purposely went after a British actor (especially a Shakespearean actor) for the role. Every scene of his is masterful.

From Olivier, Burton and Guinness, to more recent Shakespearean actors in Rickman, Day-Lewis and Ralph Fiennes, they bring an immense gravitas to the films they appear in.

What does coming out mean to you? Are you picturing an announcement with balloons?

Coming out is literally just not being closeted and ashamed.

Coming out can be Kristen Stewart being in public with her girlfriend. Someone posting a pic of themselves with their partner on social media.

Your wording is very peculiar. I've never known any queer person to expect fanfare when coming out. It can be a scary moment however it happens.

Of course coming out doesn't prevent homophobia! Facing homophobia when you do come out is why it's still scary. That's why people still hide, because homophobia very much still exists.

Yeah, known for decades, probably. Who cares? She's got more important things to be proud about than her sexual preferences. Her business. She's great.

Known for ages but don’t know how exactly or when I found out. She’s much more private and good for her. I don’t know why people feel the need to make a song and dance about absolutely everything. She will be remembered for being an amazing actor, not her relationship status unlike many actors who thrive on publicity and drama.

No I had no idea. I love her though, she's a great actress. Don't know anything at all about her personal life tbh

Of course!

@SwimmingWorrier REALLY??!! 😱😱😱

Yes I knew. Who cares?

It is not particularly relevant except that previously (not sure about now) movie studios (and record companies) were VERY edgy about alienating audiences, some classic examples are Rupert Everett running foul of NATO (national association of theatre owners) in America after his revelations in a magazine interview about his lifestyle in London in the mid 80s, basically finishing his career at the top levels. Billy Squire going from major rock star to massive album sales slump after an ill judged and now quite famous video, Queen bombing in America after another ill judged (for the times) video which allegedly FM didnt want to do, probably because he knew what the fallout would be, GM and even the guy from Judas Priest pretending to be straight when everyone in "the business" knew otherwise, no wonder JF wasnt shouting from the rooftops about her lifestyle choices back in the day? Now it doesnt matter because the audience are basically more self-obsessed than we used to think old Hollywood stars were, LOL.

In SOTL they play up the fact that she is uncomfortable about relationships, or maybe she was just uncomfortable because her older boss seemed to be trying to seduce her? Long time since I have read the book, can`t remember if that was a thing in the book or not?

I hadn’t given it a moment’s thought.

The problem I have with it is that her "relationship status" seems to be all the media want to talk about now, and she presumably isnt being forced to take part in these interviews? When it really counted, her "relationship status" wasnt something the media would get to ask her about, I think as someone said previously lawyers have been used in the past to shut down the more excitable sections of the media on this topic about her? So when it was blockbuster movie era they were not talking about it, now it is all they talk about, IMO she isnt in the same league as someone like Jimmy Somerville who stood up when it was genuinely meaningful (and dangerous) and shouted "Im Gay and proud!", she is in the same zone as a FM or GM who put career first and gay politics second (until in the second case it just became too absurd to keep hiding it) It would have been a powerful statement if she had been doing these interviews around the time of SOTL? Not saying it is her fault though, I think she would have been strongly advised by agents etc. in the 90`s to keep this aspect of her life on the lowest key possible?

Yabu I think I remember reading it years ago.
I'm straight and honestly I couldn't care less about other people's sexuality. I remember being at school about 20 years ago and we would gossip about so and so being gay but I think me, my friends and the world have moved on and it doesn't matter if someone is gay or not in 2024. If someone came to me today and said 'this person is gay' I'd find it weird and think 'we'll so what'. Theres a lot more interesting things to gossip about nowadays.

(I know it was thirty years ago) however,
I remember her in Sommersby, dainty, feminine, resolved

Jodie was brought up in a lesbian, feminist household, has
had low key and also highly visible relationships, no secret,
only private

Why would 'Straight women' be any more bothered, than other human beings?

I don't know when I knew cos it has the same impact on my life as Luke Evans's sexuality.

I think the thread asks did you "know", not were you "bothered"?

*It wasnt an "ill judged video" by Queen. It was a great spoof that most of the world got/embraced except backward, bigoted america.

Bowie who came out as bi, said it was fine except for..."puritanical america".

To give an historical perspective, the English discarded the theocratic Puritan strait jacket on society in 1660 when the laws made under Puritan rule were declared null and void, in complete contrast to america where their influence has lasted centuries (the population even commemorate this persecuting cult annually in "thanksgiving"). Can't drink there until you are 21 (at one stage banning drinking all together), publicly shaming people for having extramarital relations (wheeling Tiger Woods out infront of the media to apologise for his affair was utterly surreal...nobodies bleedin business what he does in his PRIVATE life), the requirement that every politician seeking office publicly declares their faith (religion there is everyone's business, and you better have one otherwise you have zero chance of being elected...hence atheists like Trump having to bluff)...etc etc.

Just because one place is much more backward and intolerant with a much greater population of bigots doesn't mean you pander to them. Queen (and Bowie) were dead right in being themselves.

*Queen were actually shunned in america before the music video came out, with razor blades thrown on stage at Mercury in the early 80s to get him to shave off his moustache (can't be having a gay rock star can we?).

Also, like everyone on this thread, I wasn’t born in 2024. I was born several decades ago, and the prejudice I experienced in the 90s and 00s affected me and continues to affect me, and it continues to affect Jodie Foster as evidenced by the fact that she only ‘officially’ came out 10 years ago and seemingly continues to feel slightly uncomfortable talking about it. People praising how private she is are being wilfully obtuse about the fact that until fairly recently she really didn’t have any other option if she wanted to keep her career.

Jodie Foster not wanting to discuss her sexuality or coming out "officially" until 2013 is her business.

She's had successful career since she was a child from Bugsy Malone, to Oscar winning performances in Silence of The Lambs and The Accused, and continues to do so now in a new series on one of the streaming sites.

No shortage of opportunities for her there, and I think that is more to do with her talent and versatility as an actress rather than anything to do with her keeping quiet about being lesbian. She doesn't owe anyone that.

Incidentally, they were in Panic Room together, but Kristen Stewart is not a great actress is she? She also became unpopular after she was papped with Rupert whatever his name is. No comparison.

Been aware for years and not remotely bothered.