Jane Fonda
“An actress whose talent and convictions kept her at the center of American debate for decades.”
Jane Fonda emerged in the early 1960s and became a major star with the sci-fi sensation 'Barbarella' (1968). She won critical respect and her first Best Actress Oscar for 'Klute' (1971), establishing herself as a serious dramatic force. Became a star in the late 1960s.
A Famous Name
Daughter of screen legend Henry Fonda, Jane carved her own path from model to actress. Early comedies gave way to the role of Barbarella, which made her an international star.
Activism and Acclaim
Fonda became as known for politics as performance, drawing fierce controversy for her Vietnam-era activism. Two Oscars, for 'Klute' and 'Coming Home,' confirmed her dramatic stature.
Reinvention
She conquered home fitness in the 1980s, stepped away from film, then returned decades later. A 2014 AFI Life Achievement Award honored her long, varied career.
Career Timeline
- 1937Born December 21 in New York City
- 1960Film debut in 'Tall Story'
- 1965Marries director Roger Vadim in France
- 1968Stars in cult sci-fi film 'Barbarella'
- 1971Wins Best Actress Oscar for 'Klute'
- 1972Controversial anti-war trip to North Vietnam
- 1978Wins second Best Actress Oscar for 'Coming Home'
- 1982Launches blockbuster home workout video
- 1991Marries media mogul Ted Turner
- 2005Returns to film after long hiatus
- 2014Receives AFI Life Achievement Award
Biggest Hits
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The Moment You Remember
Many remember the on-screen reunion in On Golden Pond, where Fonda acted opposite her ailing father, the tenderness between them blurring the line between the characters and a real family making peace.
Portrait: Georges Biard · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons