Quote from Oladosun Joshua Segun on January 19, 2024, 6:56 PM

Today, I have a juicy story for you about one of the most talented and respected actresses of our time: Jodie Foster.

You probably know Jodie Foster from her iconic roles in movies like The Silence of the Lambs, Panic Room, and The Accused. She has won two Oscars, three Golden Globes, and countless other awards for her brilliant performances. But did you know that she also has two sons, who are now in their early twenties?

That's right, Jodie Foster is a mom of two boys, Charles and Kit, whom she shares with her ex-partner Cydney Bernard. But here's the catch: Jodie Foster never told her sons that she was a famous actress until they were teenagers!

Why did she do that? Well, according to Jodie Foster herself, she wanted to protect her children from the pressures and pitfalls of fame. She wanted them to have a normal childhood, away from the spotlight and the media scrutiny. She wanted them to develop their own identities and interests, without being influenced by their mother's celebrity status.

So, how did she manage to keep her acting career a secret from her sons for so long? Well, she was very careful about what she exposed them to. She never took them to movie premieres or award shows. She never let them watch her films or interviews. She never talked about her work at home. She even used a different name when she enrolled them in school.

That's why, when the two-time Oscar winner sons Charles "Charlie" Bernard Foster, 25, and Christopher "Kit" Bernard Foster, 22, were growing up, she kept quiet about her job. As she put it, "I guess I just didn't want them to know me that way."

"I wanted them to know me as their Mom and the person who went away to work and stuff," Jodie explained during her Jan 19 appearance on The View. "I just didn't want them to be confused about what I did for a living."

In fact, the Silence of the Lambs alum's oldest spent his toddler years thinking she worked in construction.

"I brought him to set one day, and I bought him a little plastic tool belt and stuff," recalled Jodie, who shares her kids with former partner Cydney Bernard as you know. "And I was like, ‘Yeah, and this is the set and this set and this set.' And for a really long time, he thought I was a construction worker."

She basically lived a double life: one as a movie star, and one as a regular mom. And she did it for years, until her sons were old enough to handle the truth.

Nowadays, the Panic Room actress' sons are well-aware of her decades-long-acting career. And though Charlie has followed his mom's footsteps into the entertainment industry, according to Jodie, he and his younger brother "have no interest in watching my movies with me."

"I think they're going to catch True Detective," the 61-year-old said, "cause they're really into that."

How did they react when they finally found out? Well, according to Jodie Foster, they were shocked and amazed. They couldn't believe that their mom was such a big deal in Hollywood. They started asking her all kinds of questions about her movies and co-stars. They also started watching some of her films, and they were impressed by her talent and versatility.

However, Jodie noted that there are "a few films that she would never show them because she would be worried about being teased."

One example is Nell, the 1995 movie about a young woman who was raised in isolation and struggles to communicate with the outside world.

"They do tease me often about that," noted Jodie, whose performance in the film landed her a fourth Oscar nomination, "even though they've never seen the movie."

But most importantly, they were proud of her. They respected her decision to keep her career from them, and they understood that she did it out of love and care. They also appreciated that she gave them a chance to grow up normally, without the burden of fame.

Jodie Foster says that she has a great relationship with her sons now, and that they are very supportive of her work. She also says that they are very independent and creative young men, who have their own passions and goals in life.

What do you think of Jodie Foster's story? Do you admire her for hiding her acting career from her sons? Or do you think she should have been more honest with them?