Jodie Foster Replaced Nicole Kidman in ‘Panic Room’ With Only a Week of Preparation

Jodie Foster rarely plays second fiddle to anyone in Hollywood. However, the acclaimed actor wasn’t actually the first choice to star in the 2002 film Panic Room. Learn how she landed the part and the quick turnaround she had to prepare for the gig.

Jodie Foster’s character in ‘Panic Room’

Directed by David Fincher, Panic Room premiered in March 2002. In the suspenseful film, a mom and daughter moved into a New York property like no other. Desperate to settle down, Meg Altman, played by Foster, took the unit with the unique panic room. 

Unlike her mom, who felt uneasy about the secret and secure space, Meg’s daughter, Sarah (Kristen Stewart), found it intriguing. When three men broke into their new home, Sarah and Meg, head to the panic room. Trying to keep her diabetic daughter calm and safe, Meg’s situation got even trickier when she realized the burglars wanted something from the very room that they were in. 

Through a series of close calls, Meg strategically managed to get her and her daughter to safety. 

Jodie Foster replaced Nicole Kidman in ‘Panic Room’ with only a week of preparation 

Speaking of making speedy decisions, that’s what Foster and those behind-the-scenes had to do to get the film to completion. As detailed by BuzzFeed, Nicole Kidman originally played Meg. In fact, she spent 18 days on set filming the movie.

Unfortunately, while working, Kidman injured herself, triggering a lingering knee issue the star had been dealing with since her hit musical Moulin Rouge! When the star learned she had a hairline fracture, she was forced to resign from the role. 

Meanwhile, Foster was directing another upcoming film that was shut down — also, coincidentally, due to an injury. In this case, it was Russell Crowe who was injured. So Foster was available and willing to take over for Kidman. 

The rush of the production didn’t leave the actor with much time to prepare. But Foster still made it work. As the saying goes, the show must go on. 

A look back at ‘Panic Room’ and the film’s success

Panic Room set box office records and went on to be an incredibly lucrative movie. Variety reported that the film “grossed nearly $200 million worldwide.” In addition, it scored several award nominations. Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Patrick Bauchau were a few of the other talented stars that appeared in the film alongside Foster and Stewart.