> At a Glance
> – Jodie Foster says she was “mauled by a lion” at age 8 or 9 while filming Napoleon and Samantha in 1972
> – The lion picked her up, shook her, and left two puncture scars on each hip
> – She returned to set carrying a rooster as a distraction and threw it when the lion approached again
> – Why it matters: The incident highlights the dangers child actors faced on 1970s film sets with live animals
Jodie Foster has shared chilling new details about being attacked by a lion while shooting the 1972 family adventure film Napoleon and Samantha. The Oscar-winning actress, now 63, told W magazine the stand-in lion clamped onto her during a break between takes.
The Attack
Foster was walking up a hill when the lion struck.
> “I remember seeing his mane come around … he moved me sideways and shook me around,” she said. “I saw the whole camera crew run – just like, running away from me.”
The trainer finally ordered, “Drop it,” and the lion released her. She was hospitalized but cleared to return to work.
Back on Set
Production resumed with the same lion. Foster carried a live rooster as a safety measure.
> “I saw the lion turn his head … I threw the rooster, and I ran,” she recalled, calling that moment “probably a scarier moment.”
Key Takeaways
- Three lions were used: a main, a stunt double, and the stand-in that attacked
- Foster still bears four puncture scars, though they’ve shifted over the decades
- The incident remains the scariest experience she’s had while making a movie
She summed it up simply: “I was in shock so I don’t really remember that much.”
