John Hinckley Jr. Sends a Heartfelt Message to Jodie Foster After 45 Years

In an unexpected twist of events, John Hinckley Jr., the man who shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981 with the hope of impressing actress Jodie Foster, has extended a heartfelt message to the iconic star almost four and a half decades later. In a revealing interview on the "Mark Joseph Show" podcast set to air Wednesday, August 12, Hinckley expressed his well-wishes for Foster, admitting he hasn't kept up with her filmography but wishing her nothing but success. Hinckley gained notoriety when he fired shots at Reagan outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington D.C., leaving the President with a bullet wound under his arm. Remarkably, Reagan survived the ordeal and lived until 2004, passing away at the age of 93. Hinckley himself was 25 years old at the time of the assassination attempt and was eventually found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982. He spent over three decades in a psychiatric facility before being released in 2022. During the interview, Hinckley was asked about his preferred outcome from those fateful days. Reflecting on his delusional intentions, he shared that he had dreamt of forming a lifelong partnership with Foster. He believed that after things settled down, she would join him wherever he ended up—be it in jail or a hospital. Hinckley's actions left a profound impact on Foster, who has mostly remained silent on the matter. In a candid conversation for Interview magazine in June 2024, she opened up about how the incident affected her career in live theater. "I was finally able to admit that the one bit of theater I did in college was fraught with trauma," she revealed. "The play happened over two weekends, and I performed during the first weekend. The following days saw John Hinckley shoot the president, intending to impress me, having written letters to me. It was a defining moment in my life." Foster continued, recounting the chaos that ensued, "The world fell apart. Secret Service agents were everywhere. I had bodyguards, and I was taken to a safe house during those two weekends of the play."