Childhood and Education Journey of Jane Fonda in Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of Jane Fonda, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

Jane Fonda is a highly acclaimed American actress and activist with a career spanning over seven decades. She has received numerous prestigious awards, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Additionally, she has been nominated for a Grammy Award and two Tony Awards. Fonda's contributions have been recognized with honorary awards such as the Honorary Palme d'Or, the AFI Life Achievement Award, the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

December 21, 1937: Jane Fonda's Birth

On December 21, 1937, Jane Seymour Fonda was born. She is an American actress and activist with a career spanning over seven decades.

1950: Mother's Death and Father's Remarriage

In 1950, when Jane Fonda was 12 years old, her mother died by suicide. Later that year, her father, Henry Fonda, married Susan Blanchard.

1954: Interest in the Arts

In 1954, Jane Fonda became interested in the arts while appearing with her father in a charity performance of "The Country Girl" at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

1958: Meeting Lee Strasberg

In 1958, Jane Fonda met Lee Strasberg, which significantly impacted her life and career. He told her she had real talent, marking a turning point in her life.

August 14, 1965: Marriage to Roger Vadim

On August 14, 1965, Jane Fonda married French film director Roger Vadim at the Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas.

1965: Americans Travel to North Vietnam

Beginning in 1965 and continuing until 1972, almost 300 Americans – mostly civil rights activists, teachers, and pastors – traveled to North Vietnam.

August 1966: Playboy Lawsuit

In August 1966, Jane Fonda sued Playboy magazine for publishing paparazzi shots taken on the set of her film without her consent.

1966: Lawsuit Filed Against Playboy

In 1966, Jane Fonda filed a lawsuit against Playboy, which eventually led to a full-page ad in support of the VVAW in 1971.

1967: Communications Monitored

Between 1967 and 1973, Jane Fonda's communications were monitored by the NSA as part of Project MINARET.

September 28, 1968: Birth of Vanessa Vadim

On September 28, 1968, Jane Fonda and Roger Vadim's daughter, Vanessa Vadim, was born in Boulogne-Billancourt.

1969: Support of Alcatraz Occupation

In 1969, Jane Fonda, along with other celebrities, supported the Occupation of Alcatraz Island by the American Indian Movement, which was intended to call attention to the failures of the government with regard to treaty rights and the movement for greater Indigenous sovereignty.

May 4, 1970: Appearance at the University of New Mexico

On May 4, 1970, Jane Fonda spoke at the University of New Mexico about G.I. rights and issues. During the event, Beat poet Gregory Corso challenged her for not addressing the Kent State shooting. She also joined a protest march on the home of university president Ferrel Heady.

November 2, 1970: Arrest at Cleveland Airport

On November 2, 1970, Jane Fonda was arrested at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport on suspicion of drug trafficking. The charges were dropped after the pills seized were confirmed to be vitamins.

1970: Anti-War Rally and VVAW Support

In 1970, Jane Fonda spoke out against the war at a rally organized by Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. She became an Honorary National Coordinator and started a college campus tour to raise funds for the organization.

1970: Anti-war rally appearance

In 1970, Jane Fonda was photographed at an anti-war rally that John Kerry also attended. This photo was later used during the 2004 election to disparage Kerry.

1970: Support for Native Americans at Fort Lawton

In 1970, Jane Fonda went to Seattle to support a group of Native Americans led by Bernie Whitebear who had occupied part of Fort Lawton, which was being turned into a park. They aimed to secure a land base for services for the local urban Indian population. This led to the construction of the Daybreak Star Cultural Center.

February 1971: Playboy Ad in Support of the VVAW

In February 1971, as part of a settlement of a lawsuit Jane Fonda filed against Playboy in 1966, Playboy published a full-page ad in support of the VVAW.

1971: Formation of the FTA Tour

In 1971, Jane Fonda, Fred Gardner, and Donald Sutherland formed the FTA tour, an antiwar road show, to establish dialogue with soldiers about their deployments to Vietnam.

July 1972: Visit to North Vietnam

In July 1972, Jane Fonda visited North Vietnam and traveled to Hanoi to witness the bombing damage to the dikes. She later stated that the United States had been intentionally targeting the dike system along the Red River.

1972: Trip to North Vietnam

During a 60 Minutes interview on March 31, 2005, Jane Fonda reiterated that she had no regrets about her trip to North Vietnam in 1972, with the exception of the anti-aircraft-gun photo. She stated that the incident was a "betrayal" of American forces and of the "country that gave me privilege".

1972: Funding of Indochina Peace Campaign

In 1972, Jane Fonda helped fund and organize the Indochina Peace Campaign, which continued to mobilize antiwar activists in the US after the 1973 Paris Peace Agreement.

1972: Starring in Tout Va Bien and Feminist Activism

In 1972, Jane Fonda starred in Tout Va Bien and Letter to Jane. She also participated in a feminist march in Rome, Italy.

January 19, 1973: Marriage to Tom Hayden

On January 19, 1973, three days after her divorce from Vadim, Jane Fonda married activist Tom Hayden in a free-form ceremony at her home in Laurel Canyon. She was also three months pregnant at the time.

July 7, 1973: Birth of Troy O'Donovan Garity

On July 7, 1973, Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden's son, Troy O'Donovan Garity, was born in Los Angeles. He was given his paternal grandmother's maiden name.

1973: Communications Monitored

Between 1967 and 1973, Jane Fonda's communications were monitored by the NSA as part of Project MINARET.

1973: Yves Lacoste Published Analysis

In 1973, French geographer Yves Lacoste published an analysis in which he concluded that the dike system in North Vietnam was intentionally targeted in the eastern region of the delta during bombings.

1973: Statement on Torture Claims

In 1973, Jane Fonda told The New York Times, "I'm quite sure that there were incidents of torture ... but the pilots who were saying it was the policy of the Vietnamese and that it was systematic, I believe that's a lie."

1973: Mobilizing Antiwar Activists

In 1973, The Indochina Peace Campaign, funded by Jane Fonda, continued to mobilize antiwar activists in the US after the Paris Peace Agreement.

1975: US Withdrawal from Vietnam

In 1975, the United States withdrew from Vietnam, marking the end of the Indochina Peace Campaign that Jane Fonda had helped fund and organize.

1979: Fonda speaks on LGBTQ+ discrimination

In 1979, during the White Night Riots in San Francisco after the assassination of Harvey Milk, Jane Fonda appeared in a video interview where she spoke about the discrimination faced by the gay community.

1982: Adoption of Mary Luana Williams

In 1982, Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden unofficially adopted an African-American teenager, Mary Luana Williams, who was known as Lulu.

1984: Establishment of Hollywood Women's Political Committee

In 1984, Jane Fonda and Barbra Streisand, along with ten other women, established the Hollywood Women's Political Committee (HWPC) to assist in the presidential campaign of Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro.

1984: Co-founded the Hollywood Women's Political Committee

In 1984, Jane Fonda co-founded the Hollywood Women's Political Committee.

1986: HWPC helps turn the Senate Democratic

In 1986, the Hollywood Women's Political Committee, established by Jane Fonda and others, helped to turn the Senate Democratic.

1988: Barbara Walters Interview

In a 1988 interview with Barbara Walters, Jane Fonda expressed regret for some of her comments and actions.

December 21, 1991: Marriage to Ted Turner

On December 21, 1991, Jane Fonda married cable television tycoon and CNN founder Ted Turner at a ranch near Capps, Florida.

1991: Marriage to Ted Turner and Retirement from Acting

In 1991, Jane Fonda married Ted Turner and retired from acting after a string of commercially unsuccessful films.

1992: HWPC Helped Elect Women Legislators

In 1992, the Hollywood Women's Political Committee helped to elect a record-breaking number of women legislators, an achievement called the Year of the Woman.

1994: HWPC Continues Activism

In 1994, the Hollywood Women's Political Committee continued its activism through political setbacks.

1996: HWPC Continues Activism

In 1996, the Hollywood Women's Political Committee continued its activism through political setbacks.

1997: Dissolution of Hollywood Women's Political Committee

In 1997, the Hollywood Women's Political Committee, established by Jane Fonda and others, dissolved after years of activism.

2001: Divorce from Ted Turner

In 2001, Jane Fonda divorced Ted Turner.

2001: Establishment of the Jane Fonda Center for Adolescent Reproductive Health

In 2001, Jane Fonda established the Jane Fonda Center for Adolescent Reproductive Health, which aims to prevent teen pregnancy.

December 2002: Visit to Israel and the West Bank

In December 2002, Jane Fonda visited Israel and the West Bank to focus on stopping violence against women. She demonstrated against Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and visited Jewish and Arab doctors, patients at a Jerusalem hospital, a physical rehabilitation center, and a Palestinian refugee camp.

2002: Attending the First V-Day Summit

In 2002, Jane Fonda attended the first summit of V-Day, a movement to stop violence against women, inspired by the off-Broadway hit 'The Vagina Monologues'. The summit brought together Eve Ensler, Afghan women oppressed by the Taliban, and a Kenyan activist campaigning to save girls from genital mutilation.

February 16, 2004: March in Ciudad Juárez

On February 16, 2004, Fonda, along with Sally Field, Eve Ensler and other women, led a march through Ciudad Juárez, urging Mexico to provide sufficient resources to investigate the murders of hundreds of women in the border city.

2004: Used as epithet against John Kerry

During the 2004 presidential election, Jane Fonda's name was used as a disparaging epithet against John Kerry, and a photo of them at a 1970 anti-war rally was circulated. A faked composite photograph was also circulated.

March 31, 2005: 60 Minutes Interview

During a 60 Minutes interview on March 31, 2005, Jane Fonda reiterated that she had no regrets about her trip to North Vietnam in 1972, with the exception of the anti-aircraft-gun photo.

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April 5, 2005: Publication of 'My Life So Far'

On April 5, 2005, Random House published Fonda's autobiography, 'My Life So Far'. The book describes her life as a series of three acts, with her third "act" being the most significant due to her commitment to Christianity.

My Life So Far

Check it on Amazon

July 2005: Planned anti-war bus tour

In July 2005, Jane Fonda planned an anti-war bus tour with her daughter and families of military veterans for March 2006, but she later canceled it due to concerns that it would divert attention from Cindy Sheehan's activism.

September 2005: Cancellation of appearances on Galloway's book tour

In September 2005, Jane Fonda was scheduled to join George Galloway on his U.S. book tour but canceled her appearances due to doctor's orders following hip surgery.

2005: Co-founded the Women's Media Center

In 2005, Jane Fonda co-founded the Women's Media Center.

2005: Autobiography

In 2005, Jane Fonda rejected simplifications to her career's trajectory in her autobiography, My Life So Far.

2005: Tobacco Incident

In 2005, Michael A. Smith spat chewing tobacco in Jane Fonda's face during a book-signing event for her autobiography, My Life So Far, in Kansas City, Missouri.

2005: Autobiography on Anti-Aircraft Gun Photo

In her 2005 autobiography, Jane Fonda wrote about being photographed seated on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun and said that she was manipulated into sitting on the battery, horrified at the implications of the pictures.

March 2006: Cancellation of anti-war bus tour

In March 2006, Jane Fonda's planned anti-war bus tour, initially scheduled for this month with her daughter and families of military veterans, was canceled due to concerns about overshadowing Cindy Sheehan's activism.

September 17, 2006: Support for Feministiskt initiativ in Sweden

Before the September 17, 2006, Swedish elections, Jane Fonda went to Sweden to support the new political party Feministiskt initiativ in their election campaign.

January 27, 2007: Participation in anti-war rally in Washington, D.C.

On January 27, 2007, Jane Fonda participated in an anti-war rally and march on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and spoke at an anti-war rally at the Navy Memorial.

January 2009: Fonda's Return to Broadway Blog

In January 2009, Jane Fonda started a blog chronicling her return to Broadway, discussing topics like Pilates and her feelings about the new play.

September 2009: Protest of Tel Aviv Spotlight at Toronto International Film Festival

In September 2009, Jane Fonda was among 1,500 signatories of a letter protesting the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival's spotlight on Tel Aviv, claiming it was part of "the Israeli propaganda machine."

2009: Allegations of White House Involvement

In 2009, Jane Fonda wrote that she believed her 1970 arrest was influenced by the Nixon White House in an attempt to ruin her respectability.

2011: Explanation on Website

In a 2011 entry on her official website, Jane Fonda further explained the circumstances surrounding the photo of her seated on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun.

2013: NSA Monitoring Revealed

In 2013, it was revealed that Jane Fonda was one of approximately 1,600 Americans whose communications between 1967 and 1973 were monitored by the United States National Security Agency (NSA) as part of Project MINARET.

2014: Fonda reveals her mother's abuse

In 2014, Fonda revealed that her mother was recurrently sexually abused as a child, which may have led to her suicide when Jane was 12.

2015: Disapproval of Arctic drilling and participation in the "March for Jobs, Justice, and Climate"

In 2015, Jane Fonda expressed disapproval of President Barack Obama's permitting of Arctic drilling at the Sundance Film Festival and marched in the "March for Jobs, Justice, and Climate" in Toronto.

April 2016: Fonda predicts Hillary Clinton's victory and a backlash

In April 2016, Fonda expressed support for Bernie Sanders but predicted Hillary Clinton would win the presidential election and believed that her win would result in a "violent backlash."

2017: Merchandise with Mugshot Image

In 2017, Jane Fonda began selling merchandise with her mugshot image to benefit the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power & Potential.

2017: Criticism of Justin Trudeau on Oil Development

In 2017, Jane Fonda criticized Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for betraying commitments made at the Paris Agreement regarding climate change and treaties with indigenous people.

2017: Criticism of Trump's Pipeline Mandate

In 2017, Jane Fonda criticized President Donald Trump's mandate to resume construction of the North Dakota Pipelines, arguing that he did so illegally because he had not obtained consent from the affected Native American tribes.

2017: Fonda discusses sexual abuse

In a 2017 interview with Brie Larson in The Edit, Jane Fonda spoke about being raped and sexually abused as a child. She also stated that she was fired for not sleeping with her boss, noting that the women's movement helped her realize that these experiences were not her fault.

September 2018: Mugshot Billboard in Times Square

In September 2018, Jane Fonda's mugshot from her 1970 arrest was used as the poster image for the HBO documentary "Jane Fonda in Five Acts", with a giant billboard erected in Times Square.

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October 2019: Arrests at Climate Change Protests

In October 2019, Jane Fonda was arrested three times in consecutive weeks for protesting climate change outside the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

December 5, 2019: Op-Ed explaining climate activism

On December 5, 2019, Jane Fonda explained her position on climate activism in a New York Times op-ed.

2019: Support for environmental organizations

Since at least 2019, Jane Fonda has been a supporter of global environmental organizations including GreenFaith and 350.org. She spoke at the Fire Drill Fridays protest in Washington, D.C., condemning the expansion of the fossil fuel industry.

March 2020: Fonda endorses Bernie Sanders

In March 2020, Jane Fonda endorsed Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 election, calling him the "climate candidate."

August 2021: Support for Los Angeles LGBT Center

In August 2021, Jane Fonda and the cast of Grace and Frankie joined advocates to support a fundraiser hosted by the Los Angeles LGBT Center to assist members of the LGBTQ+ community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

March 2022: Launch of Jane Fonda Climate PAC

In March 2022, Jane Fonda launched the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, a political action committee aimed at ousting politicians who support the fossil fuel industry.

September 2023: Participation in March to End Fossil Fuels

In September 2023, Jane Fonda participated in New York City's March to End Fossil Fuels.

September 2024: Signing of Open Letter Urging Governor Newsom to Sign AI Safety Bill SB 1047

In September 2024, Jane Fonda joined over 125 actors, directors, and musicians in signing an open letter urging Governor Gavin Newsom to sign SB 1047, a Californian AI safety bill.

2024: Featured guest at 350.org's Food & Water Watch event

In 2024, Jane Fonda was a featured guest at 350.org's Food & Water Watch event.

2024: Jane Fonda Day Controversy

In 2024, Los Angeles County initially tried to name April 30 as "Jane Fonda Day" for her environmental work, but it was moved to April 8 due to backlash from the Vietnamese American community because it fell on the same day as Black April.