Throughout her lengthy and illustrious career, political conflict has seldom been new to Jane Fonda. She has received a good deal of public censure, having once been called “Hanoi Jane” after being seen sitting atop a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun in 1972.
Even in the 1960s, when she enthusiastically backed the Black Panthers and the Civil Rights Movement to the dismay of some segments of society, the actress was a divisive figure.
When Fonda received the Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG) Life Achievement Award this past weekend, she utilized a portion of her remarks to criticize President Donald Trump.
It’s hardly surprising that many of the top celebrities in the US are speaking out given the country’s present, to put it mildly, turbulent political environment.
The SAG Awards on Sunday gave 87-year-old Fonda the ideal stage on which to make her mark.
I’m grateful, SAG AFTRA. Your excitement makes this seem more like a go girl, kick a** moment rather than the late twilight of my life. which is fortunate because I have much to do. “Fonda said.”
Fonda made reference to Sebastian Stan’s role of President Trump in 2024’s The Apprentice, even if she didn’t mention him by name.
The speech of Jane Fonda
“You have to understand and empathize with the traumatized person you’re playing, even if you detest the behavior of your character,” she said.
The actress then went on to defend “wokeness,” saying that empathy is neither “woke” nor weak. By the way, being “woke” just implies that you care about other people.
“What’s happening and what’s coming our way is going to hurt a lot of people,” she added.”A large tent will be necessary for us to withstand the challenges that lie ahead.”
And regardless of their political beliefs, we must use empathy, listen to them from the bottom of our hearts, and welcome them into our tent rather than passing judgment. Because in order to properly withstand what is coming at us, we will need a large tent.
Fonda’s remarks follow a few tumultuous weeks in American politics. Few could have foreseen how quickly the apple cart may be turned upside down, but many had expected turbulence during Trump’s second term in power.
Trump has wasted no time at all in attempting to impose significant changes, for better or worse, amid a litany of executive orders and generally raucous statements, many of which have dubious connections to reality.
Trump’s apparent support for authoritarian Vladimir Putin in an effort to broker an end to the conflict in Ukraine has raised concerns internationally, and his recently established Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, has drawn special criticism in recent days.
How did you interpret Jane Fonda’s remarks? Tell us in the comments section.
