Jodie Foster rape scene, which took five days to complete. Foster was initially unhappy with her performance, and feared that it would end her career. Her fears turned out to be unfounded: "The Accused" received positive reviews upon its release, with Foster's performance receiving widespread acclaim and earning her Academy, Golden Globe and National Board of Review awards, as well as a nomination for a BAFTA Award. Foster's first film release after the success of "The Accused" was the thriller "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991). She portrayed FBI trainee Clarice Starling, who is sent to interview incarcerated serial killer Hannibal Lecter
Jodie Foster in the film due to its violent content, but relented after governor Pat Brown intervened and a UCLA psychiatrist assessed her. A social worker was required to accompany her on set and her older sister Connie acted as her stand-in in sexually suggestive scenes. Foster later commented on the controversy saying that she hated "the idea that everybody thinks if a kid's going to be an actress it means that she has to play Shirley Temple or someone's little sister." During the filming, Foster developed a close bond with co-star Robert De Niro, who saw "serious potential" in her and