Jodie Foster comes out... finally

Times of London ^ | 12/12/07 | Veronica Schmidt

[TigerLikesRooster]

December 12, 2007

Jodie Foster comes out... finally

The notoriously private Oscar-winning actress has acknowledged her lesbian partner in public for the first time

Veronica Schmidt

After guarding her private life fiercely for 15 years, Hollywood actress Jodie Foster has publicly acknowledged her lesbian partner.

The Oscar-winning actress thanked "my beautiful Cydney" after winning an award at the Women in Entertainment Power 100 breakfast in Los Angeles.

She went on to praise Cydney Bernard, saying the film producer "sticks with me through all the rotten and the bliss".

Despite more than a decade of speculation, questions over the paternity of her two sons and critics calling for her be “out and proud”, Foster has refused to discuss her sexuality.

The 44-year-old maintained her silence when, earlier this year, gay American magazine Out put a picture of her on its cover above the words “The glass closet – why the stars won’t come out and play.” Inside, it was argued “the stars aren’t willing to make the jump to being officially labelled queer and all that it represents in the business.”

Now that Foster has, reactions are mixed. On American website Gay.com, readers posted comments praising the actress for coming out, while others expressed anger that it was considered news.

“It is her life to live as she pleases. Why do so many gays worry about who is and who is not gay?” asked one reader

“Whether or not Jodie comes out is definitely her own decision, but she would provide an excellent positive role model to GLBT [gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender] people everywhere. I think that is why we get excited when someone comes out,” posted another.

Foster is one of only a few Hollywood actresses to have publicly acknowledged they are lesbian. Comedian Ellen de Generes made headlines when she came out in 1997, as did her partner Portia de Rossi when she was photographed kissing then girlfriend Francesca Gregorini in 2001.

Foster reportedly met Bernard on the set of Sommersby in 1993. The actress later gave birth to sons Charles, 9, and Kit, 6.

The actress found world-wide fame at 14, playing a prostitute opposite Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver before going on to star in Bugsy Malone, Freaky Friday, The Silence of the Lambs and Nell.

Her latest movie Nim’s Island is due for release in May next year.

[dbehsman]

I respect her for being a terrific actress and not being a scumbag “activist”. She wants to keep her private life private like normal people, good for her.

I agree with your sentiments.

I don't condone homosexuality, I think it's offensive and spiritually degrading to those who practice it. I'm not really interested in raising a stink about it, unless they insist on rubbing my nose in it.

The homosexuals that I despise are those who insist on forcing me to approve of it. These scumbag "activists" spend all sorts of time insisting that we accept their deviancy as normal, and live and let live. Of course they quickly forget that they themselves are the ones who refuse to live and let live. They're constantly out looking for a fight, and then cry foul when they get slapped back. They are disgusting hypocrites of the highest order.

[flying Elvis]

Has Cat come out?

[Yossarian]

Has Cat come out?

I'm pretty sure she made mention of her partner in some recent interview.

[longtree]

“I never understood how people could consider Julia Roberts beautiful either . Yuck !”

I agree. It really struck me how pedestrian Julia Roberts looks when she played opposite Cathern Zeta Jones (in some stupid movie the name of which I cannot recall.)

[Screaming_Gerbil]

Has Cat come out?

I'm pretty sure she made mention of her partner in some recent interview.

Cora, 38, a Greek-American from Jackson, Miss., who lives in California with her 2-year-old son, Zoran, and her partner, Jennifer, shares her recipe for success.

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/entertainment/8258

[Recovering_Democrat]

I'm so shocked. < \sarcasm>

[L.N. Smithee]

Foster reportedly met Bernard on the set of Sommersby in 1993. The actress later gave birth to sons Charles, 9, and Kit, 6.

Uh...aren't y'all leaving something out?

[flying Elvis]

First time I laid eyes on Cat, I told my wife that Cat was a lez.

[L.N. Smithee]

All the male characters on Frasier were homosexuals with the exception of Kelsey Grammer. David Hyde-Pierce recently came out, joining John Mahoney. First out of the closet on the show was Dan Butler, who played the obnoxious sports talk host. Two of the show's producers were gay too, which is why it wasn't surprising when they had a fit when Dr. Laura Schlessinger got her own show at Paramount.

One wonders if Scott Baio put the moves on Jodie during the shooting of Bugsy Malone.

[Screaming_Gerbil]

First time I laid eyes on Cat, I told my wife that Cat was a lez.

How'd you know?

[Screaming_Gerbil]

Found this picture of Jodie and Cydney:

[sushiman]

Guess we know who the “ man “ is .

[sushiman]

Guess we know who the “ man “ is .

[L.N. Smithee]

Holy crap, dude. It looks like Freaky Friday 2!

[Mobile Vulgus]

Never thought Foster was good looking. Tatum O’Neil... SHE was hot.

[jammer]

Strongly agree with you on both counts. Maybe Julia gets a pass because she’s not nearly as ugly as her brother. But I think Foster is a wonderful actress.

[Caipirabob]

The 44-year-old maintained her silence when, earlier this year, gay American magazine Out put a picture of her on its cover above the words “The glass closet – why the stars won’t come out and play.” Inside, it was argued “the stars aren’t willing to make the jump to being officially labelled queer and all that it represents in the business.”

Kind of kills any potential screen romance. Once you label yourself as such, I'm pretty sure it kills many film opportunities because an audience can only suspends it's disbelief so far. Just the way it works.

Kind of like how I'll never be able to take Tom Cruise seriously ever again for his off screen antics. Nutjob...

[Bastiat_Fan]

like a weiner?

[Bastiat_Fan]

That might be the ugliest picture of an attratice woman ever. She reminds me of Helen Thomas (pics PLEASE!)

[Bastiat_Fan]

That might be the ugliest picture of an attrative woman ever. She reminds me of Helen Thomas (pics PLEASE!)