Jodie Foster doesn't think her True Detective and The Silence of the Lambs characters have anything in common – but the show isn't shying away from comparisons.
In the new 2024 preview issue of Total Film, which hits shelves this week, Foster says her True Detective role is "a long way from Clarice." She adds: "Clarice is all about the ethics and she’s quiet and reserved and always doing the right thing, and that is not Danvers. I kind of hope Clarice never got this cynical."
The fourth season of True Detective, subtitled Night Country, takes place in the fictional town of Ennis, Alaska. Foster plays Detective Liz Danvers, who is tasked with investigating the disappearance of eight men from a research station. Foster's arguably most notable role is that of FBI agent Clarice Starling in the Academy Award-winning thriller The Silence of the Lambs. Clarice, still technically a trainee in the FBI Academy, is assigned to interview the incarcerated Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a highly intelligent former psychiatrist and cannibal serial killer. Foster took home the Oscar for Best Actress.
Addressing the comparisons, showrunner Issa López adds of Clarice: "It’s just one of these characters. All the lines of that movie just live in my skull. We know the lines, we know the moments, we know the images. And there’s a direct line, I think… The Silence of the Lambs mothered [David Fincher’s serial killer chiller] Se7en, and Se7en mothered True Detective. And this is the child of True Detective. So there’s a direct line. That’s why I went directly to the source. And we’re not shying away from it."
López (Tigers Are Not Afraid) also shares how she received a message from HBO’s Francesca Orsi, asking her to figure out a way to recapture the spirit of the Emmy-winning first season, which launched in 2014 and starred Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey as two Louisiana detectives. And if HBO is looking to recapture that magic, casting a dynamite dramatic actor like Foster is a good call.
True Detective: Night Country airs on HBO from January 14, 2024, and in the UK it will be available on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW from January 15. For much more on the show, pick up a copy of the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves on December 7. Inside, Total Film has a huge 2024 preview breakdown with exclusive insight into all of the biggest releases arriving in the new year. Check out the covers below:
That's not all either, our 2023 Review of the Year supplement is also included, which features our round-up of the best films and TV shows of the year. Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive. With our latest offer, you can get a JOBY Magnetic Wireless Charger worth £29.95 when you take out a print subscription.
