John Hinckley Jr., the man who attempted to assassinate former U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1981, has sparked controversy after claiming he believes he is responsible for actress Jodie Foster’s attraction to women.
Speaking with TMZ, Hinckley said he has a personal theory that Foster may have become gay due to trauma connected to his obsession with her and the attention surrounding his attack on Reagan. He argued that Foster dated men in the early 1980s but only publicly identified as gay years later, coming out during her speech at the 2013 Golden Globes.
Hinckley said this is the first time he has shared the theory publicly, doing so as he promotes his memoir, John Hinckley Jr.: Who I Really Am.
He recounted becoming fixated on Foster after seeing her performance in Taxi Driver in 1976. Hinckley said that while Foster attended Yale University, he obtained her dorm information, called her, and left behind notes and poems. He added that he never asked her out, believing she had no interest.
Hinckley also admitted that at the time he was depressed and delusional, and convinced that a shocking act would win Foster’s attention. Drawing parallels to Taxi Driver, he said he viewed himself as Travis Bickle — the movie’s troubled character — and believed trying to kill a political leader would impress her.
In March 1981, Hinckley travelled from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., and went to the Hilton Hotel armed with a .22-calibre revolver as Reagan prepared to leave after delivering a speech. He fired six shots, injuring Reagan, police officer Thomas Delahanty, Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy, and White House Press Secretary James Brady.
Hinckley said he expected to be killed by Secret Service agents, but was instead restrained by bystanders until police arrived. He was later found not guilty by reason of insanity and spent more than 30 years in psychiatric confinement. Hinckley said he still believes the verdict was appropriate.
He also revealed he has been on antidepressants for years and is currently taking Zoloft and Risperdal voluntarily to manage anxiety.
Foster’s representatives reportedly declined to comment.
