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Jodie Foster says she was "always shocked" by how frequently women had rape backstories in scripts

Jodie Foster has said that she was "always shocked" by how frequently female characters had rape backgrounds in scripts.

The actress may have won an Oscar for portraying a survivor of rape in The Accused, but she told The Hollywood Reporter that she was “always shocked” by the over-reliance of sexual assault as a source of motivation for female characters’ actions. Despite this, Foster added that she reckons the gender balance in Hollywood is improving and that, as she’s gotten older, she’s enjoyed a greater sense of freedom in her roles. Beginning production in 1995, the film overlapped with Downey Jr.’s struggles with addiction and crime, having been arrested in 1994 for possession of heroin, cocaine and a gun.

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