“There’s all these movies with men going in…”: Jodie Foster Made a Desperate Pitch to Land The Silence of the Lambs After Meg Ryan Was Offended by Ghastly Script

Over the years, many movies have been released in the horror genre, but not many have managed to strike fear into the audience, quite like the 1991 flick The Silence of the Lambs. The movie features one of the most iconic horror movie characters, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins.

However, Jodie Foster’s depiction of Clarice Starling was undoubtedly the showstopper of the movie. Foster looked a natural in her role as a top student at the FBI’s training academy. Although the actress did a convincing job of bringing the character to life, it wasn’t a piece of cake for her to land the job.

Also Read: “She’s always doing the right thing”: Jodie Foster Hints Her True Detective Season 4 Role is More Unhinged Than Her Oscar Winning Silence of the Lambs

Jodie Foster’s Amazing Appeal to Land the Lead Role in The Silence of the Lambs

When the movie was released in 1991, Jodie Foster was 29 years and as shallow as it may sound, it was rare to see an actress be handed the task to take the lead in the movie. Speaking of Foster, a report by Cinema Blend revealed Foster’s desperate pitch to land the lead role.

There’s all these movies with men going in and saving a bunch of people, doing one thing or another. But this story [The Silence of the Lambs] is about one young woman trying desperately to save the life of another young woman. In order to do that, she’s faced with the overwhelming obstacle of all these men.

Foster’s primary point in the plea to land the role was that the audience had already seen a bunch of movies where men are awarded the chance to save other people. However, seeing a young woman saving the life of another young woman was something new.

Although Foster’s desperate pitch made sense, it still didn’t leave a huge impact on director Jonathan Demme. In fact, Demme had actresses such as Michelle Pfeiffer and Laura Dern on his list before Jodie Foster.

Also Read: Anthony Hopkins Made Jodie Foster Feel Small and Humiliated in an Improvised Scene That Got Her Blood Boiling in Silence of the Lambs

Jonathan Demme was Rejected by Meg Ryan for Offering a Ghastly Script

There was another actress that Demme was hellbent on signing before Foster, and it was none other than When Harry Met Sally star Meg Ryan. However, in the same article by Cinema Blend, it was revealed that Ryan felt offended by Demme trying to offer her a ghastly script.

Well, after Ryan got ahold of the script, it was clearly not to be, seeing as she was allegedly “offended” that such a grim, ghastly film would come her way.

Ultimately, the lead role of The Silence of the Lambs came back to Jodie Foster, thanks to the studio being in favor of the actress. The decision did wonders for the film, as it was undoubtedly one of the best depictions of Clarice Starling that the fans had ever seen.

So much so that Foster landed the award for the Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 1992 Academy Awards. It was Foster’s second Oscar win after winning her first in 1989 for The Accused.

Also Read: “I didn’t want that life”: Jodie Foster Vowed To Never Commit The Same Mistake That Destroyed Madonna

Despite doing an amazing job in her role, Foster didn’t return to play Clarice Starling in the 2001 sequel Hannibal. The Silence of the Lambs can be streamed online on Amazon Prime Video in 2023.