Fictional FBI Agent

Clarice Starling

About

Clarice Starling is the brilliant FBI trainee from The Silence of the Lambs, portrayed by Jodie Foster. Tasked with interviewing the imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecter to help catch another serial killer, Clarice must navigate a terrifying psychological game while proving herself in a male-dominated institution. Jodie Foster’s Oscar-winning performance created one of cinema’s most compelling heroines.

Before Fame

Clarice grew up on a farm in West Virginia. After her father, a night marshal, was killed in the line of duty, she was sent to live with relatives and eventually a foster home.

Trivia

  • She was portrayed by Jodie Foster, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress
  • The Silence of the Lambs won all five major Academy Awards
  • She is one of AFI's greatest heroes in cinema history
  • Her psychological battle with Hannibal Lecter is legendary
  • The character was created by Thomas Harris

Family Life

Her father was a town marshal who was murdered when she was ten. She was briefly raised by her mother's cousin on a ranch in Montana.

Associated With

Hannibal Lecter Jack Crawford Buffalo Bill Ardelia Mapp Senator Ruth Martin