A two-time Academy Award winning actress, political activist, businesswoman, and philanthropist, Jane Fonda’s accomplishments bridge many fields. From the counterculture of the 1960s to today’s feminism, Native rights and environmentalism; from Klute to 9 to 5 to Grace and Frankie: Fonda has been a visible and powerful influencer across a lifetime.
Fonda got her start in acting in her early twenties, studying under renowned acting coach Lee Strasberg and soon becoming a member of the Actors Studio in New York. In 1960, she landed her first Broadway role in There Was A Little Girl, and transitioned to the big screen in the same year with a role in Tall Story. Along with starring roles in dozens of highly acclaimed productions, Fonda also took on responsibilities as a film and television producer throughout her media career. In 2018, she was the subject of an acclaimed documentary on HBO, Jane Fonda in Five Acts, by Award-winning filmmaker Susan Lacey.
In 1982, Fonda revolutionized the fitness industry with the release of Jane Fonda’s Workout. She followed with the production of 23 home exercise videos, 13 audio recordings, and seven bestselling books—selling 17 million copies all together. As of 2018, the original Jane Fonda’s Workout video remains the top grossing home video of all time.
Through the Jane Fonda Foundation and the Fonda Family Foundation, Fonda funds causes related to youth and education, adolescent reproductive health, the environment, human services, and the arts. In 2005, together with Robin Morgan and Gloria Steinem, she co-founded the Women’s Media Center—an organization that works to increase the visibility and power of women in media.
Fonda is the recipient of many accolades including two Academy Awards, two British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the Honorary Golden Lion. In 2014 Fonda received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute (AFI). During the ceremony, Fonda stated, “Ask questions. Stay curious. It’s much more important to stay interested than to be interesting.”
