John Hinckley Jr. is the man whose fixation on Jodie Foster once made headlines around the world — and forty-five years later, he's making headlines again. The 71-year-old sat down for a rare interview and was asked, point blank, if he had anything to say to the actress who unknowingly became tied to one of the most infamous crimes in American history. Here's everything you need to know about what he said, and where things stand now.
Key Facts
- Hinckley shot President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, in an attempt to impress Foster.
- He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and spent over three decades in psychiatric care.
- Hinckley received unconditional release from court oversight in June 2022.
- In a new interview, he said he wishes Foster "well" and hopes she has a good life.
- Foster has previously opened up about the lasting trauma tied to the incident.
What Happened in 1981
On March 30, 1981, a 25-year-old Hinckley opened fire outside the Washington Hilton Hotel, just after Reagan finished addressing a group of labor union members. Four people were shot that day, including Reagan himself, along with press secretary James Brady, police officer Thomas Delahanty and Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy. Reagan survived, but Brady was left permanently disabled.
Hinckley was taken into custody almost immediately. What emerged in the aftermath was even stranger than the shooting itself — a fixation on a young actress he had never actually met.
Hinckley's Fixation on Foster
Hinckley's obsession reportedly began after he repeatedly watched Taxi Driver, the 1976 Martin Scorsese film in which Foster, then a teenager, starred alongside Robert De Niro's character, a man who plots to assassinate a political candidate. Investigators said Hinckley became fixated on Foster after seeing the movie, then enrolled in a writing course at Yale, where she was a student, hoping to meet her.
He sent her letters before the attack — and later admitted that shooting the president was his attempt, however delusional, to prove his devotion and win her attention.
Trial and Path to Release
Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982, a verdict that sparked public outrage and pushed several states to tighten their insanity-defense laws. He spent more than three decades at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C., before doctors and courts gradually granted him more freedom.
He received conditional release in 2016, followed by full, unconditional release from court oversight in 2022. Reflecting on the mindset that drove him in 1981, Hinckley admitted the thinking that consumed him back then was "delusional," per a report from TheWrap.
Hinckley's New Message to Foster
Forty-five years on, Hinckley addressed Foster directly during a new interview on The Mark Joseph Show, a preview of which was shared with Entertainment Weekly ahead of its release. Asked if he had anything he wanted to say to her, his answer was brief.
"I just wish Jodie Foster well, you know," Hinckley said. He went on to admit he doesn't keep up with her film career these days, though he acknowledged she remains a successful, respected actress. His message closed with a simple wish for her happiness.
It's a strikingly plain sentiment from a man whose actions once defined Foster's public identity for years, whether she wanted that association or not.
Foster Has Spoken About the Toll
Foster has rarely addressed the shooting publicly, but she broke that silence in a 2024 interview with PEOPLE, reflecting on how the fallout shaped her early years in Hollywood. She recalled that "there was so much trauma involved in it," pointing to the unwanted spotlight the case placed on her college years.
The renewed attention around Hinckley's comments has reignited interest in one of the most unusual chapters connected to Foster's career — one she has spent decades trying to move past.
Where Hinckley Stands Today
Since his 2022 release, Hinckley has kept a relatively public profile, performing music under his own name and occasionally speaking with the media about his past. He has previously apologized to Reagan's family, to Brady's family and to Foster for the events of 1981.
His latest comments suggest a man who has largely made peace with the distance between his past and Foster's present — even if the connection between them remains permanently etched into both of their histories.
