Jane Fonda Honored with SAG Life Achievement Award at 31st Annual Ceremony

2025-03-02

At the 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards held on February 23, 2025, in Los Angeles, Jane Fonda, 87, was honored with the SAG Life Achievement Award, marking a pivotal moment in her storied career. The ceremony, hosted by Kristen Bell and streamed live on Netflix, saw Fonda deliver a rousing speech that blended reflections on her acting journey with a call to action for empathy and activism.

Fonda, a two-time Academy Award winner and renowned activist, began her acceptance by expressing gratitude to SAG-AFTRA and the audience, quipping that their enthusiasm made the honor feel less like a “late-twilight-of-my-life” moment and more like a “Go girl, kick ass” one. She emphasized that she is “not done” and reflected on her “un-strategic” career, which included a 15-year retirement before returning to acting at 65. Fonda credited her late resurgence to her belief in unions, stating, “They have our backs. They bring us into community, and they give us power.”

Central to her speech was the theme of empathy, which she described as the core of an actor’s craft. “Our job is to understand another human being so profoundly that we can touch their souls,” she said. Fonda also addressed the term “woke,” defining it as simply “giving a damn about other people.” She urged the audience to extend empathy even to those with differing political views, warning that “a whole lot of people are gonna be really hurt by what is happening, what is coming our way.” Fonda called for unity, stating, “We need a big tent to resist successfully what’s coming at us.”

Fonda drew parallels between the current political climate and the McCarthy era, recalling how Hollywood resisted oppression in the past. She challenged the audience to consider their role in the ongoing “documentary moment” of social change, asking, “Would you have been brave enough to walk the bridge?” She concluded with a hopeful vision of the future, quoting novelist Pearl Cleage: “On the other side of the conflagration, there will still be love. There will still be beauty, and there will be an ocean of truth for us to swim in.”

The SAG Life Achievement Award, presented by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, recognizes Fonda’s contributions to the acting profession and her lifelong commitment to humanitarian causes. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher praised Fonda as “a trailblazer and an extraordinary talent” and “a dynamic force who has shaped the landscape of entertainment, advocacy, and culture with unwavering passion.” Fonda’s speech resonated deeply, leaving the audience with a powerful reminder of the importance of empathy, community, and resistance in challenging times.

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