Jodie Foster Says Gen Z Can Be Very Annoying in the Workplace

When people think of Jodie Foster, I’m willing to bet the first role that comes to mind is that of Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs. Her time spent in the cheap shoes of the FBI agent in training is the stuff of literal nightmares, and would be a dream job for any actor. Here’s the the thing — Jodie has been acting since she was 2 years old in every conceivable genre playing characters as wild and unpredictable as humanity itself. She is a pro.

It stands to reason that when it comes to acting, and directing as well, Jodie Foster knows what she’s talking about and she doesn’t mince words when asked about it. In a January 2024 profile done by The Guardian, Jodie was brutally honest about what it’s like working with younger actors. She immediately faced backlash from certain corners of social media who didn’t take too kindly to the veteran actor more or less referring to Gen Z as lazy. Let’s get into what really happened.

One of the inevitabilities that comes with aging is bumping up against younger generations. It’s no secret that the internet and social media in particular love pitting generations against each other, so it make sense that disagreements can arise. I started my curmudgeon journey in my 30s, and I stand by every grumpy thought I’ve ever had. Sorry but most music stopped being good after the ’90s and no amount of screaming on social media can change my mind.

For an accomplished actor like Jodie Foster, her interactions with younger folks happen at home with her two sons and at work with other actors. And like any rational human being, Jodie doesn’t always understand where they are coming from. I have bad news for Gen Z — y’all don’t always make sense. “They’re really annoying, especially in the workplace,” said Jodie to The Guardian.

She cited two examples of how Gen Z can take a rather laissez-faire approach to their jobs. “They’re like, ‘Nah, I’m not feeling it today, I’m gonna come in at 10:30 a.m.’ Or, like, in emails, I’ll tell them this is all grammatically incorrect, did you not check your spelling? And they’re like, ‘Why would I do that, isn’t that kind of limiting?'” Honestly, this behavior is maddening. I too would be vexed by it.

Before anyone comes for Jodie Foster’s neck it’s important to note that she is also very supportive of those coming after her. In Season 4 of True Detective, in which Jodie stars, she was surrounded by younger actors. Her wish for them is that they learn how to relax and how not to “think about it so much.” In doing so they will be able to “come up with something that’s theirs. I can help them find that, which is so much more fun than being, with all the pressure behind it, the protagonist of the story.”

In December 2023, Jodie requested that she be paired with The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey at the Elle magazine Women in Hollywood celebration. Bella is non-binary and told British Vogue in an interview that they are not “100 percent straight.” Jodie understands on many similar levels that it’s hard being in a young actor in Hollywood, especially one that is not absolutely straight. She also mentioned admiring Bella’s generation for their freedom. “I did the best I could for my generation.” shared Jodie. “… But my lens wasn’t wide enough.”