Most 80-year-olds that I know live pretty simple and quiet lives. They certainly aren’t protesting climate change, running their own businesses, or starring in/producing their own TV shows.
But then again — most people aren’t Jane Fonda .
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Hollywood’s favorite octogenarian is without equal: in talent, style, and in grace. Let’s celebrate Jane together with these 10+ random facts about Jane Fonda that fans didn’t know!
Jane Fonda is one of the most famous people in the world, and not just for her acting abilities (which are iconic).
She is a huge advocate on for climate change, the #MeToo movement, and more.
She has been fighting for change since the ’70s, and she clearly isn’t stopping anytime soon.
However, just because we all love to watch her work her stuff, that doesn’t mean we know everything about this iconic woman.
Luckily, we are here to help with that!
Here is a great list of everything you ought to know about Jane Fonda.
Let’s get into it!
1. Jane has one heck of a famous family.
Her father is Hollywood legend, Henry Fonda . Jane’s brother is actor/director Peter Fonda, and her niece is Bridget Fonda.
Oh, and her son is also Troy Garity. Did I miss anyone? I feel like I’m missing someone…
And she wants people to know she completely acknowledges the privilege that came with having a famous father.
“When it was very slow going in terms of my ability to earn a living, I had savings that I could fall back on. I don’t want to pretend that I was scraping nickels and dimes together. I lived pretty close to the bone for quite a while, but I always knew I could make it. I have to say that. My privilege protected me a lot,” she told Interview Magazine.
2. Jane was born on the stage.
The first time Jane ever acted in anything was during a live stage production of ” The Country Girl ” in 1954.
She appeared alongside her famous father, Henry Fonda. From that day on, a star was in the making!
3. She was a model!
I know, shocking right? Jane made her professional modeling debut on the cover of Vogue Magazine in 1959.
At the time, Jane was still largely unknown in the industry and was known only by association with her incredibly famous father.
4. You probably haven’t seen her film debut.
But you really should! Jane appeared in 1960’s Tall Story . The film revolves around a poor college athlete who longs to marry the woman of his dreams.
Jane received a Golden Globe for Most Promising Female Newcomer.
5. Jane protested the war in Vietnam.
Jane traveled to North Vietnam and spent two weeks with the Vietcong.
She posed for pictures, decried against imperialism on the radio, and even met with U.S. POWs. This earned her the nickname, Hanoi Jane.
6. She’s tasted Oscar gold — twice.
Jane first won Best Actress for her work in the film Klute . She would again take home the prize in 1979 when she won for Coming Home .
Over the course of her incredible career, Jane has been nominated a total of seven times for Best Actress.
7. There’s only one movie that stars both Jane and her father.
The film is called On Golden Pond and it’s a classic. Jane plays Chelsea, the estranged daughter of Norman (her father in real life).
On Golden Pond was nominated for a total of ten Oscars and it took home three.
8. Jane worked on behalf of the United Nations.
Jane has always been an activist and in 1994 she was awarded the title of Goodwill Ambassador .
She worked tirelessly for international women’s rights, the effects of which we’re still seeing to this very day.
9. She took a 15-year break from movies.
In 1990, Jane made a movie called Stanley and Iris , then completely vanished for more than a decade.
She didn’t make her return to the silver screen until 2005 when she starred in Monster-In-Law .
“I retired for 15 years. I left at 50 and came back at 65. I was married to Ted Turner and Ted didn’t really help me with confidence and things like that,” she told *The Guardian*.
“So after that I wanted to see if I could enjoy it again. But, at 65, I never thought I’d have a career. And a hit TV show! I’m 80! I keep pinching myself! I can’t believe it! I didn’t think I would live this long!”
10. Her workout tape is a record holder.
Jane released a series of at-home workout tapes that absolutely flew off the shelves. It quickly became the best-selling VHS of all-time — a record that Jane still holds to this day.
I’m pretty sure there’s still a copy somewhere in my mom’s basement.
11. Jane is on Netflix!
If you still haven’t got around to watching Grace and Frankie , there’s never been a better time.
Jane is hilarious and Lily Tomlin absolutely slays. This is one of my favorite sleeper series to watch.
12. HBO filmed a documentary all about her life.
Jane Fonda in Five Acts is a look behind the curtain.
It details the lesser-known side of Jane’s life as well as her struggles to define herself on her own terms.
13. Jane was arrested on the steps of the Capitol Building.
Correction, Jane was arrested on four different occasions while on the steps of the Capitol Building.
She called these protests Fire Drill Fridays, designed to help spread awareness of the global climate change crisis.
14. Jane has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!
Not that it should come as any surprise, she’s practically royalty!
Jane had the honor of placing her palmprints in the cement right beside where her father’s star is laid. What an incredible family legacy!
15. Early on in life, Jane struggled with body image issues.
In her autobiography, Jane writes that she has dealt with this very serious issue for more than 25 years.
She has since recovered but for awhile things with her health were teetering on the edge.
16. She told *The Guardian* she is “grateful” to be alive during the #MeToo movement.
“I did not think I would live to see it. Yes. And I think that it’s going to continue, it’s not just a moment. I love the Time’s Up aspect of it. We’re working with women from all different places. I’m going to DC to lobby with domestic workers. The farm workers up in Bakersfield. It’s all of us together, having each other’s backs.”
17. She worked alongside the Black Panthers.
“With the Black Panthers in the ’70s, they got in touch with me to ask me to help raise money to bail their political prisoners out. It became clear to me that members of the Black Panther Party that had been imprisoned were political prisoners,” she told Interview Magainze.
“They had not committed crimes, except for the crime of fighting for Black liberation. I helped raise money, and in the process, I learned a lot about what was happening to Black people in the United States. I had been living in France for ten years prior to that.”
“I really wasn’t up-to-date on what was going on here. Boy, I sure learned fast.”
18. Books have changed her life.
She has revealed that they have not only educated her on world issues but allowed her to take the necessary next steps in her activism.
She wanted to do even more than she had in the past.
In fact, one book that changed her life is by Canadian author Naomi Klein.
After reading her book On Fire: The (Burning) Case for a Green New Deal , she realized how much more she had to be doing.
It spurred her into action, and changed her life.
19. She is a spokesperson for L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect.
The company is often promoting beauty that doesn’t necessarily meet society’s standards, and that is where Fonda stepped in.
They chose her because of her age and chose to celebrate it.
20. She is in awe of young people.
She knows that being young is getting harder and harder, partially because of the environmental and political changes young folks are dealing with, and because of society’s beauty standards.
“When you’re young, you are thinking: Who am I supposed to know? What am I supposed to do?” she told Elle .
“There is so much uncertainty now. It is 100 times worse than when I was a young person. And for me, those were not the good old days at all. It was very fraught,”
“And yet, I’m white and privileged, so for people of colour, gay people, physically challenged people, it is all so much harder.”
21. Greta Thunberg is one of her inspirations.
The young climate activist inspired Fonda to put herself on the line, and clearly, she has no problem as she has been arrested a few fair times.
She is very dedicated to changing the world for the better.
22. She was raised to believe in the underdogs.
She mentioned that her father Henry Fonda chose films that were about truth and justice, and that inspired her to always fight for what is right.
Movies clearly have the power to influence people immensely.
Which random facts about Jane Fonda were you surprised to learn about?
Do you know any other facts about her that we didn’t list?
Either way, let us know down below in the comment section! We would love to hear from you!
