John Hinckley Jr.'s Unexpected Message to Jodie Foster Decades After Infamous Act

John Hinckley Jr., who shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981 in an attempt to impress Jodie Foster, has a new message for the actress nearly 45 years later. “I just wish Jodie Foster well, you know. I don’t really see her movies, but I wish her well, and I know she’s doing quite well,” Hinckley, 71, shared in Entertainment Weekly’s sneak peek of the Wednesday, August 12, episode of the “Mark Joseph Show” podcast. “And that’s all I can say is just, I wish Jodie well, and I hope she has a good life.” Hinckley made headlines when he shot Reagan outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., in March 1981. Reagan was hit by a bullet that bounced off his limousine and struck him under his arm. He was able to survive his injuries, later dying in 2004 at the age of 93.

Hinckley, who was 25 at the time of the shooting, said he carried out the assassination attempt to impress Foster after she grabbed his attention in Taxi Driver.  He was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982 and spent more than 30 years in a psychiatric facility. He was released in 2022.

During his rare interview, Hinckley was asked by podcast host Mark Joseph what his favored outcome would have been more than four decades ago.