Alicia Christian Foster was born to Lucius Foster and Brandy Almond in Los Angeles, California. She attended an exclusive prep school, the Lycée Français de Los Angeles, before going to Yale University where she earned a B.A. in literature and graduated magna cum laude in 1985. While at Yale, Foster, like fellow 1985 Yale graduate Jennifer Beals of "Flashdance" fame, led a fairly normal life, considering her celebrity status. She often would spend time with friends at the local dive bar Anchor, and she occasionally partied in the haunts of one of the secret societies, Manuscript Society (a scene recounting such an event is noted in Tom Perrotta's novel Joe College).

Foster has appeared in more than 100 film and television shows since beginning her career at age three as the Coppertone Girl in a television commercial. Foster debuted as a television actress in a 1968 episode of Mayberry R.F.D.. Her first film appearance came in the 1970 TV movie Menace on the Mountain. Foster made a number of Disney movies, including Napoleon and Samantha (1972), One Little Indian (1973), Freaky Friday (1976) and Candleshoe (1977). She also co-starred with Christopher Connelly in the 1974 TV series version of Paper Moon and alongside Martin Sheen in the 1976 cult classic The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane. As a teenager, Foster made several appearances on the French pop circuit as a singer. Commenting on her years as a child actress, which she describes as an "actor’s career", Foster has said that "it was very clear to me at a young age that I had to fight for my life and that if I didn’t, my life would get gobbled up and taken away from me".

Publicity still of Foster as "Iris", the 12 year old prostitute in Taxi Driver (1976)At age 14, Jodie received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as a preteen prostitute in Martin Scorsese's film, Taxi Driver opposite Robert De Niro. De Niro's character in Taxi Driver intended to assassinate a presidential candidate. In 1981, John Hinckley, Jr. shot U.S. President Ronald Reagan and three other people. He claimed his motive was to impress Foster. His obsession with Foster came after repeated viewings of the film, and he stalked her while she attended Yale University. This has been an incident of intense discomfort for Foster, who has been known to walk out of interviews if Hinckley's name is even mentioned. The punk band Jodie Foster's Army is named in reference to Hinckley's actions.

Unlike child stars such as Shirley Temple or Tatum O'Neal, Foster successfully transitioned to adult roles, but not without initial difficulty. She gained significant weight while at Yale and, after several unsuccessful films post-Taxi Driver, was forced to audition for her role in The Accused. She won the part and the first of her two Golden Globes and Academy Awards as Best Actress for her role as a gang-rape survivor. She earned her second for her role as Clarice Starling, opposite Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter, in the 1991 film, The Silence of the Lambs.

Foster made her directoral debut in 1991 with Little Man Tate, an unsuccessful drama about a child prodigy, in which she also costarred. She also directed Home for the Holidays (1995), a black comedy starring Holly Hunter and Robert Downey Jr.. In 1992, Foster founded a production company called Egg Pictures in Los Angeles, and she began working as a producer in 1994 with the acclaimed Nell, the story of young woman raised in an isolated place who has to return to civilization.

Foster as Clarice Starling in the 1991 film adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs. Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in the reflectionFoster has appeared in a number of Japanese commercials, mostly in the 1990s. These include advertisements for the Honda Civic, Keri cosmetics, Mt. Rainier ice coffee, and the Pasona Temporary Agency.

In 1997 she starred alongside Matthew Mcconaughey in the sci-fi movie Contact, based on the novel by scientist Carl Sagan. She portrayed a scientist searching for extra-terrestrial life in the SETI project.

In 1998, an asteroid, 17744 Jodiefoster, was named in her honor.

After taking time away from the spotlight, Foster returned in the 2005 blockbuster, Flightplan. Foster portrayed a woman whose daughter disappears on an airplane which Foster's character had helped to build.

Foster's latest film, Inside Man, a thriller co-starring Denzel Washington, was released on March 24, 2006 and opened at #1 at the box office. Her next film will be The Brave One, a thriller which is being filmed in New York City, both in Manhattan and Brooklyn. It is directed by Neil Jordan and co-stars Terrence Howard. Commenting on her latest roles, Foster has said that she enjoys appearing in mainstream genre films that have a "real heart to them".

Foster gave the Class of 2006 University of Pennsylvania commencement address on May 15, 2006, the university's 250th Commencement. The university also conferred to her the Doctor of Arts (honoris causa) degree for her lifelong achievement and contribution to film in both acting and directing. Her address is available in webcast and mp3 format.