In a world where celebrity interactions often feel fleeting and superficial, a heartfelt exchange between Jodie Foster, the two-time Academy Award-winning actress, and a young boy with autism has captured global attention, revealing the profound impact of empathy and understanding. In early 2025, 12-year-old Ethan Harper, a non-speaking autistic boy from Seattle, wrote a letter to Foster, expressing how her roles had inspired him to communicate his own story. What Foster did next—a series of compassionate actions that went beyond a simple reply—left the world in tears, highlighting her humanity and the power of connection. This article explores Ethan’s letter, Foster’s response, and the ripple effect their interaction has had on autism awareness and the importance of listening to those who communicate differently.
Ethan’s Letter: A Voice Through Words
Ethan Harper, diagnosed with autism at age three, has high-functioning autism and is non-speaking, meaning he communicates primarily through alternative methods like typing or pointing to letters on an alphabet board. Despite his challenges with verbal communication, Ethan’s mind is a treasure trove of thoughts and emotions, a fact his parents discovered when he began using the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) at age eight. RPM, a technique developed for individuals with severe autism, allows Ethan to express himself by pointing to letters, a method that, while controversial among some experts, has been transformative for him and his family.
Ethan’s love for movies began as a coping mechanism, a way to process the sensory overload that often overwhelmed him. Among his favorites were Jodie Foster’s films, particularly The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Contact (1997). He was drawn to Foster’s characters—Clarice Starling’s determination and Ellie Arroway’s quest for connection with the unknown—seeing in them a reflection of his own struggle to be understood. In January 2025, after watching True Detective: Night Country (2024), where Foster played the resolute police chief Liz Danvers, Ethan felt compelled to reach out. Using his iPad, he typed a letter to Foster, a process that took him several days due to the physical effort it required.
In his letter, Ethan wrote, “Dear Ms. Foster, I am Ethan, and I have autism. I don’t speak, but I feel a lot. Your movies make me feel seen. Clarice is brave like I want to be. I want to tell stories too, but people don’t always listen because I’m different. You make me believe I can be heard. Thank you.” Ethan’s mother, Sarah Harper, mailed the letter to Foster’s production company, unsure if it would ever reach the actress. Sarah later shared in a 2025 interview with The Seattle Times, “Ethan worked so hard on that letter. It was his way of saying, ‘I exist, and I matter.’ We didn’t expect a response, but we hoped she’d see it.”
Foster’s Response: A Gesture Beyond Words
Jodie Foster, 62 in 2025, received Ethan’s letter in February while preparing for a promotional event for her recent projects. Foster, who has spent much of her career playing solitary women under pressure—characters who resonate with those who feel unseen—found Ethan’s words deeply moving. Having been a child star herself, starting at age three with a Coppertone commercial, Foster understood the feeling of being different, a theme she has often explored in her roles and personal reflections. In a 2024 interview with The Atlantic, she spoke about her own childhood loneliness, saying, “I was it. There was no other income besides me,” referring to her role as her family’s breadwinner.
Moved by Ethan’s vulnerability, Foster decided to respond in a way that went beyond a simple letter. She reached out to the Harpers through her team, arranging a video call in March 2025. During the call, which Sarah recorded with Foster’s permission, Foster spoke directly to Ethan, who watched intently from his iPad screen. “Ethan, I read your letter, and it touched my heart,” Foster said, her voice warm and steady. “You are brave, just like Clarice, and your story matters. I believe you can tell amazing stories, and I’m here to help you share them.” Ethan, visibly emotional, typed in response, “Thank you. I feel seen now.”
But Foster’s actions didn’t stop there. Learning that Ethan dreamed of becoming a storyteller, she collaborated with a local Seattle organization, Growing Kids Therapy, where Ethan had been working with therapists to communicate using RPM. Foster funded a storytelling workshop for autistic children, ensuring Ethan and others like him could have a platform to express their narratives through writing, art, or other mediums. She also sent Ethan a package containing a signed copy of Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger—her favorite book, which she has said resonated with her own feelings of longing for connection—and a note encouraging him to keep writing.
The most poignant moment came when Foster invited Ethan and his family to Los Angeles in April 2025 for the premiere of a short documentary she had executive produced, ALOK, directed by Hedison. The documentary, which premiered in 2024, explores themes of identity and inclusion, topics Foster felt aligned with Ethan’s journey. At the event, Foster introduced Ethan to the audience, saying, “This young man reminded me why stories matter. Ethan, you’re a storyteller, and I’m so proud to know you.” Ethan, using his iPad, typed a response that was read aloud: “Ms. Foster, you made my voice bigger. Thank you.” The audience, visibly moved, erupted into applause, many wiping away tears.
The Global Impact: Tears and Awareness
The story of Foster’s response to Ethan’s letter quickly spread, thanks to a viral video of their video call shared by Sarah on social media. The clip, which amassed over 10 million views on X by late April 2025, left viewers around the world in tears, with comments like, “Jodie Foster just showed us what true kindness looks like,” and “This is why representation matters—Ethan saw himself in her characters, and she saw him back.” The hashtag #EthanAndJodie trended for days, sparking conversations about autism, the importance of listening to non-speaking individuals, and the role of celebrities in advocating for marginalized communities.
Foster’s actions also brought renewed attention to the challenges faced by autistic individuals, particularly those who are non-speaking. The Rapid Prompting Method, while controversial—some experts argue it may involve therapist influence—has been a lifeline for families like the Harpers. Ethan’s story highlighted the need for better communication tools and greater awareness of the intellectual capabilities of non-speaking autistic individuals. As Elizabeth Vosseller, director of Growing Kids Therapy, noted in a 2016 interview with The Washington Post, “They do comprehend. They’ve been learning and listening their whole life.”
The storytelling workshop Foster funded, launched in Seattle in April 2025, has already had a significant impact. Over 30 autistic children participated in its first session, creating stories through various mediums, from typed narratives to drawings. Ethan’s contribution, a short story about a boy who finds his voice through the stars, was published in a local anthology, with Foster writing the foreword: “Ethan’s words remind us that everyone has a story to tell, if we only take the time to listen.”
Foster’s Legacy of Empathy
This interaction is a reflection of Foster’s long-standing empathy for those who feel unseen, a trait evident in both her career and personal life. Foster, who began acting at age three, has often spoken about her solitary childhood, where she was the primary breadwinner for her family, supporting her mother and three older siblings. In a 2024 interview with The Atlantic, she described the pressure she felt, saying, “I was it. There was no other income besides me.” This experience shaped her understanding of loneliness, a theme she has explored in roles like Clarice Starling and Ellie Arroway, characters who resonated with Ethan.
Foster’s advocacy for young people extends beyond this incident. In a 2024 interview with The Guardian, she expressed her desire to help young actors navigate the industry, saying, “They need to learn how to relax, how to not think about it so much, how to come up with something that’s theirs.” Her support for Ethan aligns with this ethos, showing her commitment to empowering those who feel different, much like she did as a child. Foster’s own journey as a mother to two sons, Charlie and Kit, whom she shares with her former partner Cydney Bernard, has also informed her empathy. She has been married to Alexandra Hedison since 2014, and her focus on family has been a constant in her life.
A Call for Understanding
The story of Ethan and Foster has also sparked broader conversations about autism awareness and the need for society to better support non-speaking individuals. Ethan’s letter and Foster’s response highlight the importance of recognizing the inner lives of those who communicate differently. As Laurie Reyes, a police officer who started an autism outreach program, wrote in a 2016 letter to a non-speaking autistic boy, “I always share with officers to ‘never underestimate’ a person with autism.” Foster’s actions echo this sentiment, showing that Ethan’s voice, though expressed through typing, is as powerful as any other.
The workshop Foster funded has plans to expand to other cities, with Growing Kids Therapy partnering with local organizations to reach more autistic children. Ethan, now 12, continues to write, inspired by Foster’s belief in him. His mother, Sarah, shared in a 2025 interview with The Seattle Times, “Jodie gave Ethan more than a moment—she gave him a future. He knows now that his words matter.”
A Tearful Legacy of Connection
The story of a boy with autism writing to Jodie Foster, and the tearful response that followed, is a testament to the power of empathy and the importance of truly seeing others. In 2025, Foster’s actions moved the world to tears, not because they were grand, but because they were genuine—a reflection of her belief in the power of stories to connect us. For Ethan, Foster’s response was a validation of his voice, a moment that will shape his future as a storyteller. For the world, it was a reminder that listening to those who are often overlooked can lead to profound moments of connection.
Foster, at 62, continues to inspire through her work and her humanity, proving that the most meaningful impact often comes from the quiet moments of understanding. As she said during the premiere of ALOK, “Stories matter because they remind us we’re not alone.” Ethan’s letter and Foster’s response are a living example of that truth, a story that will continue to resonate, leaving the world in tears of joy and hope.
