Jodie Foster Reveals Scorsese and De Niro's Giggles on Taxi Driver Set

The set of a film can be a place of intense focus, but sometimes, the sheer absurdity of a situation can break through even the most professional composure. Such was the case for Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro during the filming of Taxi Driver, as recalled by Jodie Foster. While preparing for a scene that required Foster, playing the then-12-year-old Iris, to interact with De Niro's Travis Bickle in a way that involved unzipping his fly, the two filmmaking titans found themselves in a fit of giggles.

Foster recounted the memory, which remains vividly etched in her mind, during a 50th-anniversary reunion for the iconic film. The task itself was delicate, involving a young actress and a mature theme, and it seems the gravity, combined with the inherent awkwardness, proved too much for Scorsese and De Niro to handle with a straight face. They were tasked with explaining the action to Foster, but their attempts were repeatedly derailed by uncontrollable laughter.

"Marty was trying to explain to me how I was supposed to pull down [De Niro's] fly. They couldn't stop giggling, and Bob's like, 'I'm gonna tell her.' He would try to tell me what to do, and then he would start giggling,” Foster shared.

This unexpected levity from the director and lead actor highlights the human element behind the creation of such a dark and intense film. It’s a testament to Foster’s own precocious professionalism that she could navigate such an environment, while also offering a delightful, almost sweet, counterpoint to the film’s otherwise grim atmosphere. The image of these two towering figures of cinema reduced to helpless giggles by the simple act of explaining a zipper is both endearing and profoundly humanizing.

A Glimpse Behind the Grit

The story resonates deeply with fans of Taxi Driver and the work of Scorsese, De Niro, and Foster. It offers a rare, candid moment that peels back the layers of cinematic artifice, revealing the real people and their genuine reactions behind the creation of a masterpiece. For cinephiles, this anecdote isn't just a funny anecdote; it's a piece of film history that adds texture to the understanding of how such a challenging film was brought to life. It reminds us that even when tackling the darkest aspects of the human psyche, the process of filmmaking itself is often filled with relatable human moments, including nerves and shared laughter.

What's Next

While no new Taxi Driver projects are on the horizon, Jodie Foster continues her prolific career, recently starring in and directing episodes of the acclaimed HBO series True Detective: Night Country. Martin Scorsese is reportedly working on his next feature, The Wager, and Robert De Niro is a consistent presence in major films, most recently appearing in Killers of the Flower Moon.