Jodie Foster, a Hollywood icon, chose to keep her occupation hidden from her children when they were younger to provide them with as normal a life as possible. The 61-year-old actress, who was nominated for an Oscar at the age of 14 for her role in “Taxi Driver,” wanted her sons to view her primarily as their mom, not a famous actress.

During an appearance on The View panel, Foster explained, “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. I just didn’t want them to be confused about what I did for a living.”

Foster shared that she brought her older son, Charles ‘Charlie’ Bernard Foster, to set when he was three but created a playful narrative to divert him from her true profession. She recalled, “I brought him to set one day and I bought him a little plastic tool belt and stuff. And I was like, ‘Yeah, and this is this set and this set and this set.’ And for a really long time, he thought I was a construction worker.”

While Foster did not specify when her children discovered her true profession, Charlie has since pursued theater, following in his mother’s footsteps.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Foster expressed her view on working with Gen Z, describing them as “really annoying, especially in the workplace.” She mentioned finding it challenging to understand their attitudes towards work, such as flexible hours and casual communication styles. Despite her initial frustrations, Foster acknowledged her ability to help younger individuals find their creative voices and emphasized the importance of relaxation and authenticity in the industry.