At the 2025 SAG Awards, Jane Fonda proved yet again why she’s an icon. At 87, the legendary actress received the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award, and she took to the stage with a speech that only Fonda could deliver—empowering, passionate, and full of wisdom.
Following a heartfelt montage celebrating her remarkable career, Fonda addressed the elite audience, reminding them of the critical importance of unity in today’s increasingly challenging political climate. With her trademark humor, she quipped, “Have you ever heard the phrase—how does it go? It’s okay to be a late bloomer as long as you don’t miss the flower show. I’m the late bloomer and this is the Flower Show.”
Reflecting on her career, Fonda shared her deep love for acting and the power it holds to open minds and inspire laughter, especially in tough times. She went on to highlight how acting allowed her to break free from the constraints of the 40s and 50s, when women were often silenced. “For a woman like me who grew up in the 40’s and 50’s when women weren’t supposed to have opinions and not get angry…acting gave me a chance to play angry women with opinions, which, as you know, is a bit of a stretch for me,” she joked, drawing laughter from the crowd.
The heart of her speech, however, was about the need for unity in a world that often seems divided. “Acting brings us into community, and community means power,” she emphasized, urging those in the room to recognize the importance of solidarity in an era when workers’ rights and social communities are under attack.
Fonda also called for empathy, a message that resonated deeply in today’s polarized society. “You have to understand and empathize with the traumatized person you’re playing, right? Make no mistake, empathy is not weak or woke, and by the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people,” she said. “A whole lot of people are gonna be really hurt by what is happening, what is coming our way, 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 gonna need a big tent to resist successfully what’s coming at us.”
Her words were a powerful call to action, urging the industry and beyond to show compassion and work together in these difficult times. Jane Fonda once again proved that her legacy extends far beyond the screen, as she continues to use her platform to inspire and challenge us all.
