Jane Fonda

Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an Academy Award-winning American actress, model, writer, fitness guru, producer, and political activist.

Acting career

While growing up she had no acting ambitions, but she got interested in 1954 when she performed with her famous father in a charity performance of The Country Girl, at the Omaha Community Theatre. As the performance required a crying scene, in order to stimulate tearing she reportedly had a stagehand smack her before she walked onstage. She attended Vassar College in New York, was introduced to Lee Strasberg by her father in 1958, and joined his Actors Studio. She would later receive an Honorary Degree from Emerson College in May, 2000.

Related Topics:
1954 - The Country Girl - Omaha - Tearing - Smack - Vassar College - Lee Strasberg - 1958 - Actors Studio - Emerson College

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Her stage work in the late 1950s led to an impressive film career that only gained momentum after the 1960s. She averaged almost two movies a year throughout the decade, starting in 1960 with Tall Story, in which Fonda recreated her Broadway role of a cheery college student opposite gangly Anthony Perkins. Period of Adjustment, in which she first appeared as a blonde, and Walk on the Wild Side, (1962) with Sunday in New York following a year later. Critics grew quickly impressed with her. Walk on the Wild Side, in which Fonda played the young temptress Kitty Twist, earned her a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer.

Related Topics:
1950s - 1960s - Tall Story - Anthony Perkins - Period of Adjustment - Blonde - Walk on the Wild Side - Sunday in New York - Golden Globe - Most Promising Newcomer

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In 1962, Newsday called her "the loveliest and most gifted of all our new young actresses." In 1963 the Harvard Lampoon named her "Year's Worst Actress". Fonda's big-screen breakthrough was in Cat Ballou (1965), in which she played the sweet title role that had been offered to Ann Margret but rejected. The "rootin'-tootin' Western" got five Oscar nominations, was one of the year's top ten moneymaking films, and made her a established star at age 28. After Any Wednesday (1966) and Barefoot in the Park (1967) with Robert Redford, came the dazzling Barbarella (1968), which brought her status as a leading female "sexpot". By contrast, the grim They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) showcased her serious acting talent, bringing her the first of what would be a total of seven career Oscar nominations. One more role for which she was supposedly first choice, but she didn't take was Rosemary in Rosemary's Baby, in a part that would be played by Mia Farrow. She also turned down the role in Bonnie and Clyde which went to Faye Dunaway. She eventually won her first Academy Award for Best Actress in 1971 for Klute, and yet another win in 1978 for Coming Home.

Related Topics:
Newsday - 1963 - Harvard Lampoon - Cat Ballou - Ann Margret - Any Wednesday - Barefoot in the Park - Robert Redford - Barbarella - "sexpot" - They Shoot Horses, Don't They? - Rosemary's Baby - Mia Farrow - Bonnie and Clyde - Faye Dunaway - Academy Award for Best Actress - 1971 - Klute - 1978 - Coming Home

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After her activism in opposition of the controversial Vietnam War, many believed Fonda's acting career was in sharp decline. A low point was her brief role in the disastrously unsuccessful The Blue Bird, but Fonda had an unexpected comeback with the 1976 comedy Fun With Dick and Jane.

Related Topics:
Vietnam War - The Blue Bird - 1976 - Fun With Dick and Jane

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Fonda claimed she would only make films which focused on important issues, and she generally stuck to her word (she turned down An Unmarried Woman because she felt the part was not relevant). Her career soon revived with popular and successful films such as The China Syndrome (1979, on nuclear power plants) and Nine to Five (1980) in which she played a meek divorcee reentering the workforce.

Related Topics:
An Unmarried Woman - The China Syndrome - 1979 - Nuclear power plant - Nine to Five - 1980

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Although cast as a supporting actress after the legendary Katharine Hepburn, On Golden Pond (1982) brought Fonda a degree of success and personal satisfaction. She had long wanted to work with her father, Henry, hoping it would help their sometimes strained relationship. On Golden Pond brought Henry Fonda his first Academy Award, which Jane accepted on his behalf, as he was ill and homebound. He died several months later.

Related Topics:
Katharine Hepburn - On Golden Pond

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Her acting career waning, Fonda continued to make sporadic film appearances until 1990, when she stopped acting altogether. In the public view, this period of her life was most notable for her workout videos and her much-publicized marriage to CNN founder Ted Turner.

Related Topics:
1990 - CNN - Ted Turner

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Her most recent film was "Monster-in-Law" (2005), a comedy costarring Jennifer Lopez and Wanda Sykes.

Related Topics:
Monster-in-Law - Jennifer Lopez - Wanda Sykes

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