Let's make this birthday one to remember.

61 years old (Born on November 19, 1962)

American actor, film director and producer; She is famous from Taxi Driver, The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs..

As a child, was attacked by a lion and carried briefly in its mouth while filming Disney`s Napoleon and Samantha (1972). Has a fear of snakes. An asteroid, 17744 Jodiefoster, was named after her (1998). Received a honorary doctorate from Yale University (1997). She was all set to star in the TV film The Best Little Girl in the World (1981) (TV). Unfortunately an actors` strike prevented the film from being made. By the time the production was ready to go, Jodie was already studying at Yale.

Her favorite actress is Meryl Streep.

Father Lucius Foster left the family when Jodie`s mother was a few months pregnant with her.

Producer of Freaky Friday (2003) Andrew Gunn had initially hoped she would be game to play the mother, as Foster had played the daughter in the original film Freaky Friday (1976). Foster declined, in part because of concerns that the casting stunt would overshadow the movie`s overall merit.

Never revealed who was the father of her two children. It is said that an anonymous donor is the biological father of Charles and Kit.

Starred as Addie Pray in the short-lived TV show

She was fluent in Italian by the age of 18.

Her favorite book is

Measurements: 34B-24-33 1/2 (Souce: Celebrity Sleuth magazine).

Producer of Freaky Friday (2003) Andrew Gunn had initially hoped she would be game to play the mother (as Foster had played the daughter in the original film Freaky Friday (1976). Foster declined, in part because of concerns that the casting stunt would overshadow the movie's overall merit.

Born Alicia Christian Foster, her three siblings insisted on calling her "Jodie.".

Is doubled by stuntwoman Jill Stokesberry in most of her films, starting with Sommersby (1993).

Was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by People Magazine in 2002.

Born to Lucius Fisher Foster III, an Air Force colonel turned real estate agent, and Evelyn `Brandy` Ella Almond, a film producer, her father left the family after few months before her birth.

Received an honorary doctorate from Yale University (1997).

Ranked #4 in VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Kid Stars"

Considers her role in The Silence of the Lambs (1991) to be a counterpart to her role in Taxi Driver (1976). In Taxi Driver (1976), she is a woman in bondage who has to be rescued. In The Silence of the Lambs (1991), she rescues the captive woman. In an interesting twist, her pimp in Taxi Driver (1976) was played by Harvey Keitel, who went on to play her future mentor, Jack Crawford, in Red Dragon (2002).

Ranked #30 on EW's The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood (2007).

Ranked #4 on VH-1's 100 Greatest Kid Stars of All Time.

Attended Yale University at the same time as Jennifer Beals.

Received Jonorary Doctorate from Yale University (1997).

Her Oscar-winning role as Clarice Starling from her 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs (1991) was ranked #6 in the American Film Institute`s

Youngest host of "Saturday Night Live" (1975) until Drew Barrymore hosted in 1982.

She was voted the 57th "Greatest Movie Star" of all time by Entertainment Weekly.

Received an Honorary Degree from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Never liked

Was supposed to be commencement Speaker for Smith College in Massachusetts, but eventually had to decline (2000).

Was stalked by John Hinckley during her college years, who attempted to assassinate US President Ronald Reagan to impress her (30 March 1981).

Got the role of Annabel Bradsford in the comedy Maverick (1994) after Meg Ryan turned it down.

Starred as Addie Pray in the short lived TV show "Paper Moon" (1974), which was originally a movie starring 'Tatum O'Neal (I)'.

Starred in two failed TV shows based on successful movies:

Graduated in 1980 as the class valedictorian from the private academy Lycu00e9e Franu00e7ais in Los Angeles.

Youngest host of

Rock group Asia wrote the song `Alibis` about her.

Gave birth to Charles Bernard Foster on 20 July 1998 and Kit Bernard Foster on 29 September 2001.

Born at 8:14 AM PST.

Her sister, Connie Foster, was her stand-in during the more explicit scenes in Taxi Driver (1976).

In an article published on 5 September 2006, Foster told The New York Times that she is such a

Enjoys kickboxing, yoga, karate, aerobics, and weightlifting and collects fancy kitchenware and black and white photos.

Got the role of Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs (1991) after Michelle Pfeiffer turned it down.

Was three, when in an advertisement for suntan lotion, a puppy tugs at her underwear and reveals her white bottom.

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100

Had to pull out of Double Jeopardy (1999) because she became pregnant.

Had to pull out of Double Jeopardy (1999) because she became pregnant.

Her Oscar-winning role as Clarice Starling from her 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs (1991) was ranked #6 in the American Film Institute's "Heroes" list in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes & Villains (2003) (TV).

Made an acceptance speech at a breakfast for Hollywood Reporter`s Women in Entertainment, where she paid tribute to her longtime companion Cydney Bernard, ending all speculations about her sexual orientation (December 2007).

Recorded a number of songs for her film Moi, fleur bleue (1977), including

Listed as one of twelve

Graduated in 1980 as the class valedictorian from the private academy Lycu00e9e Franu00e7ais in Los Angeles.

In an article published on 5 September 2006, Foster told The New York Times that she is such a "'serious N.P.R. [National Public Radio]-head' - the sort of person who will sit in her garage listening to the car radio until a show is over" that she changed her character in The Brave One from a newspaper reporter to the host of a public radio show.

Loves organic food.

Ranked #18 in Empire (UK) magazine`s "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list (October 2007).

She was the Commencement Speaker at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in May 2006 and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the school.

Was replaced by Ashley Judd for the lead in Double Jeopardy (1999).

Never liked "All in the Family" (1971) because "it seemed to be doing the same thing each week."

Replaced Nicole Kidman in the role of

Was member of the dramatic jury at the Sundance Film Festival in 1989.

CBS was billed $12,000 for her hair and makeup for her appearance on

Was reading by the time she was three years old.

Born Alicia Christian Foster, her three siblings insisted on calling her

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 "Sexiest Stars" in film history (#45) (1995).

Her favorite book is "Franny and Zooey" by J.D. Salinger.

Shut down production company Egg Pictures in late 2001 to spend more time with her children.

Ranked #18 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list (October 2007).

Her performance as Sarah Tobias in The Accused (1988) is ranked #56 on Premiere Magazine`s 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).

Recorded a number of songs for her film Moi, fleur bleue (1977), including "Je T'Attends Depuis La Nuit Des Temps," "When I Looked at Your Face" and "La Vie C'est Chouette."

For Sommersby (1993), Foster learned how to handle a horse-pulled buckboard.

Revealed during a 2005 interview on the French talk show

Gave birth to Charles Bernard Foster on 20 July 1998 and Kit Bernard Foster on 29 September 2001.

Revealed during a 2005 interview on the French talk show "Le Grand Journal" that she knows the words to the French national anthem, "La Marseillaise", but does not know "The Star-Spangled Banner".

Has been in a serious relationship with Cydney Bernard since they met on the set of the movie Sommersby (1993).

In 2001, decided not to reprise the role of Clarice Starling in Hannibal (2001). The role eventually went to Julianne Moore.

Sister of Buddy Foster and Connie Foster.

Was offered a role in Me and Rubyfruit (1989) twice and turned it down.

Her favorite actor is Robert De Niro.

Earned a B.A. in literature and graduated magna cum laudae at Yale University (1985).

Was supposed to be commencement Speaker for Smith College in Massachusetts, but eventually had to decline (2000).

Considered Randy Stone her best friend until his death.

Was first choice to play the role of Princess Leia in the original

Was first choice to play the role of Princess Leia in the original "Star Wars" trilogy but could not get out of her contract with Disney. George Lucas then decided to make Princess Leia older.

Her family celebrates both Christmas and Channukah.

Made her acting debut in a Coppertone suntan lotion commercial when she was 3 years old. Has said that her only regret is that she would love to live life without knowing what it`s like to be famous.

CBS was billed $12,000 for her hair and makeup for her appearance on "60 Minutes II" (1999), December 1999 to promote Anna and the King (1999). This total was later determined to be incorrect and inflated.

Gave the Class Day speech at Yale in 1993 and received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Yale in 1997.

Has two convertibles.

Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1976" in John'Willis' Screen World, Vol. 28 (1976).

Replaced Nicole Kidman in the role of "Meg Altman" in Panic Room (2002) at the last minute when Kidman injured herself.

Starred in two failed TV shows based on successful movies: "Paper Moon" (1974) and "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" (1973).

Fluent in French by age 14, she spoke her own lines in the 1977 film Moi, fleur bleue (1977) and the 2004 film Un long dimanche de fianu00e7ailles (2004).

Her production company, Egg Pictures, is named after the character played by Seth Green in The Hotel New Hampshire (1984) in which Jodie starred.