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Julianne Moore replaced Jodie Foster in the role of Agent Clarice Starling inHannibal,the sequel toThe Silence of the Lambs. Moore delivered a commendable performance in a role that was darker and gorier than in the first film. However, her portrayal in the film was deemed inferior to Foster’s performance. Moore revealed that she always knew there would be comparisons and understood the challenge when she took up the role.
While Anthony Hopkins, who played Hannibal Lecter, returned for another movie installment, this film marked the end of the road for Julianne Moore’s character. Unfortunately,Hannibalwas considered the weakest movie of the three installments.
Also Read:“I don’t have to be anybody”: Mark Ruffalo Wanted 1 Julianne Moore Comedy To Be His Last Stand In Hollywood
Julianne Moore Opens Up About Replacing Jodie Foster InHannibal
Julianne Moorerecently discussed her various roles over the years in the industry with Vanity Fair. Among them was her role as Clarice Starling inHannibal, where she replacedJodie Foster. Taking on an Oscar-winning role in an Oscar-winning film was a huge challenge for Moore, as she revealed that she felt the pressure to deliver.
Moore praised Foster’s work inThe Silence of the Lambs, but she had to make sure that she did not blatantly imitate her work. TheChloeactress was clear that she wasn’t involved in a remake of a classic, but an entirely different film.Ridley Scott, who took over the director’s role from Jonathan Demme, also provided valuable support to Moore. She revealed that Scott instilled confidence in her for the role. Moore toldVanity Fair:
“Of course I felt pressure! Jodie Foster is absolutely iconic and is one of my favorite performers ever. And I think the most important thing was not to try to, I’m like, I’m not gonna be Jodie. There’s no way. And I’m not in that movie, I’m in this movie. And I think that was something that Ridley made very clear. There are no comparisons. I think Ridley made me feel pretty secure. And you can only do what you can do.”
Moore also opened up about her co-starAnthony Hopkins’s dark sense of humor during the film. Hopkins had previously collaborated with Moore in the 1996 filmSurviving Picassoand recommended her to theHannibalteam. In one of the scenes in the film, where Hopkins’ character Hannibal Lecter is threatening Agent Starling, as the scary scene unfolds, Hopkins leaned in and asked Moore,“Isn’t this fun?”.
Despite a decent performance from Julianne Moore, the film received mixed to negative reviews. Criticisms were directed at the film’s explicit and gory violence. Nevertheless, it proved to be a box office success, grossing $351.6 million against a $87 million budget.
Also Read:“I didn’t leave that movie, I was fired”: Julianne Moore’s Fat Suit Request Got Her Fired from $12M Movie That Cast Melissa McCarthy Instead, Got Her an Oscar Nod
Why Did Jodie Foster Decide Not To Return ToHannibal?
After her Oscar win for the role, Jodie Foster initially expressed interest in returning to a sequel film. However, after reading the manuscript of Thomas Harris’s sequel novel, Foster, along with director Jonathan Demme and screenwriter Ted Tally, declined to return. They all had reservations about the novel’s excessive violent content.
In December 1999, Foster issued a statement saying that she did not want to play the new story arc of Clarice Starling in the sequel. She mentioned that it gave some“negative attributes”to her character, thus“betraying”the arc established in her 1991 film (via BBC). While her spokesperson cited her film,Flora Plum, as the official reason, Foster clarified in a 2005 interview with Total Film that she and Demme didn’t wish to trample on Agent Starling. She toldTotal Film:
“The official reason I didn’t do Hannibal is I was doing another movie, Flora Plum. So I get to say, in a nice dignified way, that I wasn’t available when that movie was being shot … Clarice meant so much to Jonathan and I, she really did, and I know it sounds kind of strange to say but there was no way that either of us could really trample on her.”
Also Read:“I wanted to give her a big kiss”: Julianne Moore Was Head Over Heels for Sydney Sweeney as Euphoria Star Reminded Her of Young Self
Both Julianne Moore’s performance inHannibaland Jodie Foster’s inThe Silence of the Lambsare now available for streaming on Max.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3017
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
