HFPA (Golden Globes) Announces Jodie Foster Named Cecille B. DeMille Recipient

Today the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced Jodie Foster as the winner of this year's Cecille B. DeMille Honor at this year's Golden Globes.  The Golden Globes have seemed to become the center of female empowerment this year with hosts Tina Fey, and Amy Poehler.  I have a feeling they are trying to compete with the Academy Awards this year, whose honorees are all men and their host is Seth MacFarlene.  While my gender theory, is just that, theory I do think there is something to be said for the battle of genders.

On to the honoree herself, Jodie Foster.  Foster has been nominated for four Academy Awards, and won twice; she was nominated for Supporting Actress in Taxi Driver (1976), and the rest of her nominations were in the Outstanding Lead Actress category, she won for The Accused (1988), and The Silence of the Lambs (1991), and was nominated for Nell (1994).

In the world of the Golden Globes she was nominated 7 times; she was nominated for three of the four roles listed above (not for Taxi Driver).  Foster was nominated for Best Actress Musical/Comedy twice for Freaky Friday (1977) and Carnage (2012); she was nominated for Actress Drama for Contact (1998), and The Brave One (2008).

Foster started her film/television career at the young age of 7 on The Doris Day Show in one episode.  Throughout her early years she continued to take small roles in television shows, but as you can see roles like the one in Taxi Driver and Freaky Friday set her up to be one of the biggest movie stars.

Foster has not stayed in front of the camera, she has also directed some television and film.  Foster's three major films she directed were Little Man Tate (1991), Home for the Holidays (1995), and The Beaver (2011).  None of these films got great reviews.

Foster is a talented actress, but on a short list of women who will have this honor, here is the list:

1962: Judy Garland (39)
1970: Joan Crawford (65)
1974: Bette Davis (65)
1979: Lucille Ball (67)
1985: Elizabeth Taylor (52)
1986: Barbara Stanwyck (78)
1989: Doris Day (64)
1990: Audrey Hepburn (60)
1993: Lauren Bacall (63)
1995: Sophia Loren (60)
1998: Shirley MacLaine (63)
2000: Barbara Streisand (57)

The last year a women won was 13 years ago, the longest span in the awards history that a woman has not won this award.  I like Foster, but she is on the young end of this honor, beyond Judy Garland she is the youngest person to win this honor at the young age of 50.  Like the other young winner Miss Taylor they both have two Oscars in the Lead Actress category on their mantles.  Foster is one deserving lady, but its interesting to see older ladies like Angela Landsbury, and Julie Andrews passed over for this award.