At the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards, Jane Fonda delivered a powerful message while accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award. Despite some technical difficulties, she effectively called on her fellow actors to confront the political climate under the Trump administration. Fonda challenged attendees to reflect on their courage by asking, “Have any of you ever watched a documentary of one of the great social movements?… and asked yourself would you have been brave enough to walk the bridge?” She emphasized that we are currently in a significant moment in history that requires action and awareness.
Fonda also praised her union, SAG-AFTRA, highlighting the importance of community and collective power. She stated, “I’m a big believer in unions. They have our backs, they bring us into community, and they give us power.” In a world where workers’ rights are increasingly under threat, she pointed out that the empathy actors cultivate is their unique contribution. Fonda urged her peers to extend compassion and understanding, even to those with differing political views, asserting the necessity of building a “big tent” for collective resistance.
This call for solidarity and empathy resonates deeply in today’s social climate, encouraging individuals across various fields to unite and support one another in the face of adversity. Fonda’s message serves as a reminder that the arts can play a crucial role in fostering understanding and community engagement during challenging times.
In light of the enduring struggles for social justice, her words inspire hope for continued activism and collective action.