WASHINGTON, D.C. — John Hinckley Jr. said in a podcast interview that he wishes Jodie Foster well. The 71-year-old Oklahoma native offered the reflection decades after his 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, which was motivated by an obsession with the actress.

"I just wish Jodie Foster well, you know," Hinckley said. "I don’t really see her movies, but I wish her well, and I know she’s doing quite well. And that’s all I can say is just, I wish Jodie well, and I hope she has a good life."

The shooting also injured three other individuals. Former White House press secretary James Brady was paralyzed in the shooting. Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy was injured in the shooting. Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty was injured in the shooting.

Labor official Alfred Antenucci brought Hinckley to the ground seconds after the shooting with assistance from agent Dennis McCarthy. Hinckley was 25 years old when he shot Reagan. Jodie Foster was 18 years old at the time of the assassination attempt.

Hinckley stalked Foster while she was at Yale University before the assassination attempt. In the podcast interview, he said he wanted to have a union with Jodie Foster and live the rest of his life with her.

"I thought she would, you know, after things settled down, join me wherever I was," he said. "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."

Brady died in 2014. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced it would not pursue criminal charges against Hinckley related to the death of Brady, following a review of applicable law and autopsy findings which ruled Brady's death a homicide.

Jodie Foster stated in a 2024 conversation with Jodie Comer for Interview magazine that the assassination attempt permanently affected her connection to theater, noting she is finally able to admit the trauma involved in the one bit of theater she did in college.

Why It Matters

Hinckley's public comments mark a continued evolution in his status following decades of legal and medical oversight. The judicial findings detail a trajectory from acute psychosis in 1981 to a determination of no active mental illness or violent behavior by 2022. The decision by federal prosecutors not to pursue charges related to Brady's death closed a potential legal chapter stemming from the 1981 event.

The enduring impact of the assassination attempt remains evident in the experiences of those involved. Foster's 2024 acknowledgment of lasting trauma contrasts with Hinckley's current expressions of well-wishes. The case continues to serve as a reference point for discussions on mental health, legal responsibility, and the long-term effects of political violence.

Timeline

On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. Hinckley was 25 years old and Jodie Foster was 18 at the time. Hinckley fired six shots from a Röhm revolver at President Reagan. One of the bullets ricocheted off President Reagan’s limousine and struck him in the chest.

Labor official Alfred Antenucci brought Hinckley to the ground seconds after the shooting with assistance from agent Dennis McCarthy. Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty were also injured in the shooting.

What's New

In a 2016 opinion, U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman described John W. Hinckley, Jr. in 1981 as a profoundly troubled twenty-five-year-old young man suffering from active and acute psychosis and major depression, with a mental condition that had gradually worsened since as early as 1976. A jury found John Hinckley Jr. not guilty by reason of insanity in his 1982 trial for the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. and was found not guilty by reason of insanity in his 1982 trial. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 was sponsored by Rep. Hunter, Duncan [R-CA-52]. Latest action: Became Public Law No: 109-163. Hinckley said he wanted to have a union with Jodie Foster and live the rest of his life with her. U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman scheduled a final hearing to ensure John Hinckley Jr. was continuing to do well in the community in Virginia, where he has lived since 2016. John Hinckley Jr. is from Oklahoma. "I thought she would, you know, after things settled down, join me wherever I was," she said. "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."

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the specific wording regarding Hinckley's verdict. Desk_web states a jury found John Hinckley Jr. not guilty by reason of insanity in his 1982 trial for the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. Federal court records state Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity on all 13 charges in federal court. Regarding the attempt itself, desk_web states John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. and was found not guilty by reason of insanity in his 1982 trial. Federal court records state Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity on all 13 charges in federal court.