Abby Connolly
When thinking about celebrities who have used their platforms for good, actress Jane Fonda comes to mind.
Throughout her 62-year career, Jane Fonda became so much more than an actress. She is also an activist and an icon.
Jane was born in New York City in 1937 to socialite Frances Seymour and famous American actor Henry Fonda. When Jane was only 12, her mother took her own life.
She didn’t have the best relationship with her father, even though she followed in his footsteps and became an actress.
Jane started showing an interest in the arts in the 1950s when she performed in a charity performance alongside her father. She briefly attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, before heading to the city to pursue a career in modeling.
While in the city, she met famous acting teacher Lee Strasberg and began studying under him at The Actor’s Studio. Lee told Jane she had talent and inspired her to begin her acting career.
In the early 1960s, Jane starred in Broadway productions and was in her first film, Tall Story. From there, Jane starred in various films over the decade, and her talent was recognized early on.
She kept taking whatever jobs she could to stay working and tended to accept roles that often emphasized her looks or body.
Jane received her first Academy Award nomination for her role in the 1969 film They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Afterward, something happened that changed her life. In the 1970s, Jane learned about the horrors of what was going on during the Vietnam War through soldiers who had fought there.
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