Foster could read on her own before she was 3, and juggled a childhood acting career with a heavy course load at Lycée Français de Los Angeles. She later attended Yale to study literature, and went back to acting after graduation.

The critically acclaimed actress has been involved in a variety of roles in film, from acting to directing to producing, and was honored with the Cecil B. Demille honorary Golden Globe in January 2013 for "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment."