Look Who's Talking Common Sense: Jodie Foster
With Nim's Island (based on the book by Wendy Orr), Jodie Foster tackles her first family film since she was a rising young star in the 1970s. Common Sense Media recently asked the Oscar-winning actress about what drew her to the movie, how she feels about her character, and how parenthood has changed her views on media. (Plus, find out how her son, Kit, scores big at Rock Band!)

Common Sense Media: You haven't really done a family film since you were a kid star. Were you drawn to Nim's Island as a mom looking for something your kids could see?

Jodie Foster: Definitely. First and foremost, I wanted to explore a lighter side of myself, because I've made so many dramas back to back. But I see a lot of kids' films. I'm a big fan of them, and I wanted to make a film that we could all enjoy.

CSM: Have your two sons (Charles, 9, and Kit, 6) seen it yet?

JF: They're going to see it at the premiere. They've actually never seen a movie of mine projected on a screen. And the only two films of mine that they've seen are Bugsy Malone and Freaky Friday, and I was a kid in those, so they've never actually see me do what I do as a grown-up actor.

CSM: Nim, the main character in the movie (played by Abigail Breslin) is a really strong, smart girl. Do you think that girls need more role models like her in today\s media?

JF: Well, they do, but I think boys do, too. What's so nice about [Nim] is that it's not heroism by virtual reality. She's actually using her hands and trying harder and scaling volcanoes and fixing an infection and digging a meal out of roots. It's that sort of old-school idea of heroism that you learn through hard work. ... I think parents will be reminded of some of the valuable lessons that they got from children's entertainment that really aren't available to their kids now.

CSM: How about your character, borderline-agoraphobic writer Alex Rover? Would you describe her as a role model?

JF: No. [Laughs.] Yes and no. She's talented, and she's an artist. Part of what being an artist is about is having this very beautiful, solitary, creative environment where you create something that reflects your inner life. And you do it on your own and you love the solitariness of your life, and it's very nourishing to you. And yet at the same time it can be terribly lonely. So it's sort of her coming to terms with finding a balance between the beautiful part of the solitary, creative experience and the lonely part.

CSM: What would you say parents need to know before they let their kids see the movie?

JF: I think it's good for the whole family, to tell you the truth. I don't think there's any caution to it at all except that if your kids are only happy in movies that are all CGI, they might not like this one.

CSM: What would you want kids to take away from the movie?

JF: The benefit of being a steward of your natural environment, and that adventure and heroism and fun can be about interacting with a pelican. It doesn't have to be about finding a laser beam or a treasure that zaps you to another planet.

CSM: How would you say your views about media have changed since you became a parent?

JF: I didn't pay attention quite as much before to the barrage. What's amazing to me is how kids are marketed to in such a cynical way. They're just marketed to at every single corner. You can't really protect them from it, but the one thing you can do is make your kids aware of it. You can say, "Oh, look at how they used that commercial" or "Look at how they put that billboard up so that you could read it" or "Look at what they're trying to sell you." And then I think your kids can kind of become media-savvy.

CSM: Do you have any media rules for your kids?

JF: A thousand. We're pretty careful about what they see and what they do't see and how much time they spend in front of electronics. I have to say, we're really plugged into Guitar Hero. The Wii and Guitar Hero have been big fixtures in our life, and I don't feel so bad because they're jumping around a lot [when they play it].

CSM: Is there anything else that's on your kids' "must list"?

JF: We just played Rock Band, and that is a gas, I have to say. So I think that's going to be next on our list. My little one can't read, so he can't really follow what things are saying, so as the line comes up, he just says "banana." And what's amazing is how well he scores! And all he does, is he just goes "banaaanaa," and he scores really high!