Jane Fonda

December 21, 2024

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Jane Fonda was born on December 21, 1937. Fonda grew up to become a stellar actress, activist, and fashion model. During her career, she has had the privilege to receive two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and many more achievements. Her performances have delighted many fans around the world. Younger actresses now look up to Jane as an icon.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Jayne Seymour Fonda

Nickname:

Hanoi Jane, J.Fo. Madame Plemiannikov

Birth date:

December 21, 1937

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Sagittarius

Height:

5' 7"

Relationship Status:

Divorced

Net Worth:

$200 million

Background

Jane Seymour Fonda, born on December 21, 1937, in the City of New York, to the well-known screen star Henry Fonda and New York socialite Frances Seymour Brokaw, is an American actress who has delivered stunning performances for decades. Her father claims that an Italian immigrant to the Netherlands is where the surname Fonda originated. In 1650, the first Fonda ancestor arrived in New York. It’s thought that Fonda has Scottish, French, and English ancestry. Fonda was given her name in honor of Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife. In 1950, when Fonda was 12 years old, her mother committed suicide. It occurred while she was undergoing treatment at Craig House psychiatric hospital in Beacon, New York. Later that year, Fonda’s father married the socialite Susan Blanchard.

Fonda taught dance at Fire Island Pines, New York when she was 15 and attended Greenwich Academy in Connecticut. She then went to the Emma Willard School in Troy, New York. After that, Fonda attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie. Fonda worked as a fashion model and appeared twice on the cover of Vogue before she started acting. In 1954, Fonda got prompted by Joshua Logan to perform with her father in a charity performance of “The Country Girl” at the Omaha Community Playhouse. She decided to drop out of Vassar College and went to Paris for six months to study art.

The seventh and final season of “Grace and Frankie” on Netflix was filmed in 2021, starring Fonda. She was confirmed to appear in the second episode of “Yearly Departed” on Amazon Prime Video in November 2021.

Career timeline

1937

She is Born

Fonda is born in New York City.

1954

Her First Performance

Fonda performs with her father in “The Country Girl” at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

1960

She Begins Acting

Fonda makes her screen debut in “Tall Story.”

2021

She Appears on “Yearly Departed”

Fonda is confirmed to appear in the second episode of “Yearly Departed” on Amazon Prime Video.

2022

“Grace and Frankie” Ends

The final episode of “Grace and Frankie” is released on Netflix.

Why We Love Jane Fonda

She’s an activist
Fonda has acted as an ally for numerous causes, listening to and amplifying the voices of Black and P.o.C. activists and speaking out against the many injustices that have plagued the United States for years. Fonda continues to support the cause today, most recently discussing white privilege and the Black Lives Matter campaign on CNN.
She’s all about embracing her age
Fonda doesn’t shy away from the aging process. She told “Forbes:” “We need to revise how we think of aging. The old paradigm was: You’re born, you peak at midlife, and then you decline into decrepitude. Looking at aging as ascending a staircase, you gain wellbeing, spirit, soul, wisdom, the ability to be truly intimate, and a life with intention.”
She’s an inspiration
Oscar-winning actress Fonda, who has appeared in an outstanding 40 movies, is a Hollywood legend. However, the 80-year-old celebrity's influence extends far beyond acting. Fonda is a fascinating and inspirational person passionate about everything from women's rights to political campaigns.

5 Surprising Facts

She was one of the 100 Sexiest Stars
Fonda was chosen as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history by “Empire Magazine.”
She is a mother
Fonda is the mother of Vanessa Vadim.
She once retired
Fonda retired from acting in 1991 but later returned to the screen.
She divorced her first husband
Fonda divorced her first husband, Director Peter Vadim, in favor of Tom Hayden.
Her second marriage
Fonda married Ted Turner in 1991 on her birthday.