Jane Fonda (b.1937,) originally Jayne Seymour Fonda, is an American actress and political activist. She first gained celebrity in comedic roles, but later established herself as a serious actress. Her many radical activities during the Vietnam War brought animosity from some and admiration from others.
Born in New York City to a well-known American theatrical family, Fonda made her stage début with her father Henry Fonda in The Country Girl (1954.) Following a lauded performance in They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1969,) Fonda won a Best Actress Academy Award for Klute (1971.) She earned a second award for Coming Home (1978,) which dealt with the plight of service members wounded in Vietnam.
Fonda starred opposite her father in On Golden Pond (1981.) Other prominent films include the award-winning Julia (1977,) The China Syndrome (1979,) Agnes of God (1985,) Old Gringo (1989,) and Monster-in-law (2005.)
Fonda is noted for her anti-nuclear and feminist activism, as well as the anti-war perspective, which earned her the name of “Hanoi Jane” during the Vietnam War. In the 1980s, she also became involved with women’s health and fitness through bestselling videos and books. Her fitness program, Jane Fonda’s Workout Book (1981,) was a worldwide bestseller.
Fonda currently stars with comedian Lily Tomlin in the farcical Grace and Frankie (2015–,) a Netflix series about two women whose husbands leave them for each other.
Fonda published the autobiography My Life So Far (2005) and Prime Time (2011,) a book of advice about aging. The biopic Jane Fonda in Five Acts (2018) recounted her life and career.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Jane Fonda
If the career you have chosen has some unexpected inconvenience, console yourself by reflecting that no career is without them.
—Jane Fonda
Topics: Adversity, Work
A good many dramatic situations begin with screaming.
—Jane Fonda
Topics: Actors, Acting
When you can’t remember why you’re hurt, that’s when you’re healed.
—Jane Fonda
To be a revolutionary you have to be a human being. You have to care about people who have no power.
—Jane Fonda
Topics: Revolution
Telling lies and showing off to get attention are the mistakes I made that I don’t want my kids to make.
—Jane Fonda
If you can intervene early in the lives of girls here and in other parts of the world, you can begin to change the prospects for the future.
—Jane Fonda
Topics: Women
The weird thing about acting is that you get paid for discovering you have multiple personalities.
—Jane Fonda
You can do one of two things; just shut up, which is something I don’t find easy, or learn an awful lot very fast which is what I tried to do.
—Jane Fonda
Topics: Choice
You spend all your life trying to do something they put people in asylums for.
—Jane Fonda
Topics: Acting, Actors
It’s never too late—never too late to start over, never too late to be happy.
—Jane Fonda
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