Jane Fonda became the 60th recipient of SAG-AFTRA’s highest tribute, the SAG Life Achievement Award for career achievements and humanitarian accomplishments, and took the opportunity to deliver an impassioned speech that was clearly a call for resistance against the Trump administration.
The actor, whose work spans over six decades, fittingly used her acceptance speech at Sunday night’s SAG Awards as a chance to speak her mind on the importance of political activism, empathy, unions and resistance. Fonda’s activism and passion for social justice have been hallmarks of her career.
“Make no mistake, empathy is not weak or woke. And by the way, ‘woke’ just means you give a damn about other people,” Fonda said, after thanking her peers for the award.
“A whole lot of people are going to be really hurt by what is happening, what is coming our way,” she continued. “And even if they’re of a different political persuasion, we need to call upon our empathy and not judge, but listen from our hearts and welcome them into our tent, because we are going to need a big tent to resist, successfully, what’s coming at us.”
After noting that her film career started at the end of McCarthyism and the Red Scare, Fonda emphasized the need for the Hollywood community to fight for what they believe in. “This is big-time serious, folks, so let’s be brave,” she said.
“We must not isolate. We must stay in community. We must help the vulnerable. We must find ways to project an inspiring vision of the future,” she added.
Fonda has been nominated for four SAG Awards but has never won. She was nominated as a part of the cast of “The Butler” in 2014 and individually for her performance in “Grace and Frankie” for three consecutive years beginning in 2017.
Fonda’s activism in the 1970s made her a polarizing figure, particularly for her involvement in the anti-Vietnam War movement. She remains dedicated to raising awareness for causes she finds important, like climate change, which has been her focus for the past several years. Fonda has also been vocal about her disagreements with President Trump’s policies in the past. During her speech, she did not directly address the president or any of his administration’s specific policies or actions, but its intent was clear.
Fonda also said she was a “big believer in unions,” as she recognized and thanked the SAG-AFTRA union.
“They have our backs. They bring us into community and they give us power,” Fonda continued. “Community means power, and this is really important right now when workers’ power is being attacked and community is being weakened.”
When Fonda was announced as this year’s recipient in October, she said in a statement that she was “honored and humbled” to receive the award. “I have been working in this industry for almost the entirety of my life and there’s no honor like the one bestowed on you by your peers,” she continued.
Fonda, 87, has received two Oscars, an Emmy, seven Golden Globes and several lifetime achievement awards, including the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes in 2021.
The daughter of Henry Fonda and sister of Peter Fonda, the “Klute” star got her start when she was 22 in “Tall Story,” and went on to headline several notable films including “Barbarella,” “Coming Home,” “9 to 5” and “The China Syndrome.”
Fonda joins a distinguished group of actors who have received the award, including Barbra Streisand, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Carol Burnett.
