John Hinckley Jr. has a message for Jodie Foster. It's been over 45 years since his failed assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in an effort to impress the Oscar-winning actress.
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The Moment Happened in 1981
The incident took place on March 30, 1981. After giving a speech outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., President Reagan was shot under his arm by a bullet that ricocheted off his limousine.
Hinckley also wounded Press Secretary James Brady, police officer Thomas Delahanty, and Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy.
Hinckley carried out the shooting to impress Foster, to whom he had been sending letters. He was inspired by her 1976 movie Taxi Driver. In the Martin Scorsese film, Foster plays a child prostitute who befriends Travis Bickle, played by Robert DeNiro, who also tries to assassinate a politician.
Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982. He spent decades in a psychiatric facility. He was released in 2022.
This week, Hinckley discussed the incident and its aftermath on The Mark Joseph Show, a podcast hosted by the producer of the 2024 movie Reagan.
What Did John Hinckley Jr. Say to Jodie Foster?
During the interview, Hinckley said he wished Foster "well."
"I don't really see her movies, but I wish her well, and I know she's doing quite well," he added. "And that's all I can say is just, I wish Jodie well, and I hope she has a good life."
Joseph then asked Hinckley what he wished had happened after the incident took place.
"I wanted to have a union with Jodie Foster and live the rest of my life with her and all these things that, of course, were delusional," Hinckley said. "But I was believing those things at the time so that the best outcome would have been a union with Jodie Foster."
Joseph wondered if Hinckley knew that jail time was a possibility for him.
Hinckley shared, "I thought she would, you know, after things settled down, join me wherever I was. I wasn't sure if I was gonna be in jail or the hospital or what after things settled down. I had this notion that she was gonna join me wherever I was."
Hinckley also admitted that Foster could have been his target instead of President Reagan.
"As fate turns out, it was Reagan instead of her," Hinckley said.
You can watch the full interview below.
