Is Jodie Foster losing her hearing?!

We snapped the Oscar-winning actress running errands in West Hollywood on Tuesday, and we were shocked to see her wearing a hearing aid! The 49-year-old seems a bit young to need an earpiece... we hope nothing bad happened!

It was announced Tuesday the Panic Room star signed with UTA management agency for directing, but will remain with longtime home ICM for acting. Her last directorial effort, The Beaver, was panned by critics.... but maybe she didn't listen to the criticism!

Jodie Foster, who has never revealed her sexuality, stepped out with a new lady Friday.

The pair went to pick up Foster's children -- Kit, 9, and Charlie, 12 -- from school.

Foster dated film producer Cydney Bernard for 15 years and Bernard adopted Kit and Charlie, who were conceived through IVF. Foster later dated 34-year-old Cindy Mort for three years but the relationship ended in 2009.

Could this be a new "wife" for the Oscar-winning actress?

For a city known for high fashion, it seems as if the celebs are opting for basic black during the haute couture shows in Paris Fashion week.

Kate Moss donned the non-color at the Etam show, while Jodie Foster wore her sober ensemble to the Armani Prive show.

As for Nicki Minaj, the usually technicolor pop star was surprisingly toned down as she headed out for the night.

Also in town (and in black) for fashion week are celebs Reese Witherspoon and Jessica Alba.

Jodie Foster is once again sticking up for her longtime friend Mel Gibson, calling him "the most loved man in the film business."

At the 17th Annual Elle Women In Hollywood event at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills last night, Jodie not only gushed about her "love"ly friend, but confirmed his cameo in the upcoming The Hangover 2.

"He really liked the humor in that first movie so I'm glad he'll be in it," Foster told Extra at the event.

Jodie then admitted that Mel was going through a "rough time," with his ongoing custody dispute with baby mama Oksana Grigorieva, but at least he still has one thing going for him. "He is incredibly loved by everyone that's ever come into contact with him or works with him. He is truly the most loved man in the film business, so, hopefully that stands for something."

He may be loved by studio executives, but I think the public perceives him a little differently. So they may no longer love him if that starts to affect their box office draws!

The actress slash director has to stand by Mel Gibson - after all, her new film The Beaver stars him!

He's the "easiest, nicest person I've ever worked with" Jodie Foster tells the October 2010 issue of More Magazine. She goes on to say the following:

"The second I met him [working on Maverick in 1994], I said, 'I will love this man for the rest of my life.' When you love a friend, you don't abandon them when they are struggling. Of course, Mel is an undeniably gifted actor and director, and The Beaver is one of his most powerful and moving performances. But more importantly, he is and has been a true and loyal friend. I hope I can help him get through this dark moment."

Foster, who also directed, plays Gibson's wife in the film. Mel himself plays a man suffering from catatonic depression who starts communicating via a beaver puppet (in an Aussie-Cockney accent) on his hand.

Wonder if this movie will actually work!

Jodie Foster had a run-in at The Grove in Los Angeles with a minor who was taking her picture. However, her rep is denying that she assaulted the "young" photographer.

An LAPD police report, taken on May 29 at 1:50pm, gave the following description of the incident:

"Vict while at The Grove saw susp and began to take pics of susp with his camera then walked to the valet area of The Grove. Susp followed vict, poked him on his chest, grabbed vict by his left arm causing visible injury."

Online reports are claiming that the "17-year old", who was allegedly with his girlfriend at the time, saw Foster in the parking lot and took her picture. That's when she allegedly pushed and shoved him leaving scratches and bruises on his arm.

Foster's rep tells X17online exclusively:

"The young man was most definitely a professional paparazzi. He had a large camera bag and a 1000 mm telephoto lens. He tailed Jodie and her young sons from the movie theater to valet parking. He crowded her and her children and took photos of them the whole time. She touched him on the elbow in an attempt to take him aside to talk to him and tell him to stop. He scared the kids."

The LAPD media relations department confirms to X17online that a misdemeanor battery report was taken against Jodie Foster, but they refused to elaborate on the incident. However they did tell us that there will be "no further investigation" into the matter.

This isn't the first time Jodie has gotten testy with photographers -- several years ago the actress completely lost it when one photog snapped pictures of her out and about in Los Angeles, and though there weren't assault or battery charges filed, the lensman certainly got one heck of a verbal smackdown!

Arguably the most talented living actress (next to Meryl Streep, of course), Jodie Foster made a rare appearance at Koi in West Hollywood on Tuesday night... and check out how spectacular she looked!

We know the 45-year-old has always been healthy, but not Madonna healthy! Kudos to the starlet for maintaining herself so well.

Haven't seen this one in a while!

Acclaimed actress Jodie Foster was out with her two boys, Charles and Kit, in Hollywood on Monday. But where's Cydney? Or is that really over?

Whatever was going on, or is going on, in Jodie's personal life, she's always been a good mom and that's good enough for us!