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In a recent interview, The Brave One star Jodie "Without a Y" Foster was tenderly prodded by More magazine about her long-rumored, but never outwardly acknowledged, personal leanings. (If you're still in the dark as to what is we're talking about, perhaps Out's cover story "The Glass Closet," or her ranking as #43 on a list of Hollywood Power-Gays, can provide further insight.) After the reporter inquired about the shiny piece of hardware gracing her ring finger, Foster deflected the questions by instead discussing her symbol-laden dream life:

Let's talk about your ring.

This one? [Proffers left hand] It's Tiffany, an eternity ring.

You're wearing it on your wedding ring finger.

I am. I've always worn a ring. Even taking photos. Even on magazine covers. I don't take it off.

Don't you think wearing a ring like that raises questions?

Well, but that's my life. I thought about this recently: I had a nightmare the other night. Well, anyway. . .

C'mon! Let's hear the nightmare!

I was being interviewed by somebody, like an innocuous [press] junket thing. They were asking me questions about food I liked or whatever. Then they said, [in a high, innocent voice] "Have you ever written any homemade anti-Semitic cards?" And I was like, [horrified] "No!" Then she said, "Come with me," and I realized to myself, "You're so stupid. Haven't you ever seen that 60 Minutes thing where they ask you a banal question? You're not supposed to say yes or no. You're supposed to go, 'Well, that's interesting.' Because if they ask you the banal question, it's because they have some kind of document on you. And now you've got to go! And now the camera's going to follow you!" Then my dream was over. [Pauses and reflects before continuing]

My life is my life. I'm not going to change my life for anybody. I don't have any problems with it. I just don't talk about my health, my dad, who I voted for or what I think of the death penalty, because that would be trivializing my life, selling it for a magazine.

Foster has grown quite adept over the years at the cautious, playful dance of words that ensures her sexual anonymity: By labeling the obviously significant piece of jewelry as an "eternity ring," she manages to evoke the basic essence of indentured lesbian servitude without having to rely on the subject-opening "commitment" word. Still, we can't help be concerned about what the effects of decades of tight-lipped repression are doing to the actress's subconscious. Sometimes, it's easier to just come out and address the elephant in the room than risk being visited that evening by the nightmarish specter of Mike Wallace, waving a phallic microphone in your face and demanding to know where you keep your collection of hand-painted Nazi Hanukkah cards.