“It was a terrible move”: The decision that almost ruined Jane Fonda’s career
Jane Fonda is the quintessential American traitor. A true martyr who has probably been called every insult under the sun, she stands as a plinth of complete defiance, driven more by a heart marred by a fractured world than a desire to succeed against Hollywood’s self-constructed pillars of success. She’s a traitor, but only in the most glorious of ways—only as a hero whose values went against everything the system sought to perpetuate.
Yet, as a figure whose presence ripples against the fame of other, just as established Hollywood so-called heroes, Fonda stands tall as one of the few rareties whose activism has largely guided her path to stardom despite the controversy it stirred along the way. Fonda’s story isn’t just defined by the exhaustive credentials accrued by her film and television credentials; it beams with the fight of someone battling to win, even when she’s destined to lose, like the restless shivers of a calmed oceanic wave after a long storm.
While her long dedication to the cause is the kind that either negates resilience or creates it, Fonda’s heart beats to the sound of years of career setbacks, though not the kind that comes from box office bombs or poor acting choices but the kind that comes from challenging authority and everything society works hard to ignore or condone. Many of her choices have alienated her from audiences, though only in the self-assured, empowering way she always seeks to land on her flavour of “success”.
That said, how Fonda navigates and refines her approach to activism has been rife with endless streams of “figuring it out as you go”, particularly when it comes to following her heart amid the incessant battle against her mind. When she met Roger Vadim, for instance, she embraced his artistically off-kilter world, learning about the balance of freedom and expression with frivolous, impassioned endeavours. It was then that she often opted for heart over professional advancements, leading her down a path she later reflected on with more pragmatism.
“I don’t feel that I’m really a part of Hollywood,” she told Vulture. “I don’t go to the parties. I wish I did. I don’t always get invited.” Admitting that this was because she “always cared about other things besides my career”, she addressed this period in her life, saying, “If I really cared about my career, I would never have done what I did, which was leave America and move to France and live in an attic in Le Marais with Vadim … It was a terrible move to make from a career point of view.”
Still, Fonda eventually outgrew the relationship and stumbled upon activism, which finally made her destiny feel clearer than ever before. As she grew more heavily involved in political and charitable causes, she felt she finally belonged somewhere, and it wasn’t in the constant churn of Hollywood chaos. Instead, it concerned the fight that would never end, though it made her feel more alive than ever.
With Vadim, Fonda embraced his avant-garde, indulgent lifestyle. Leaning more heavily into her activist side, she pivoted towards a life filled with more tangible meaning, transitioning from a mere puppet of the system to someone with real agency, even if it branded her a true American betrayer. After all, sitting still would never get anyone anywhere, and it just so happened that Fonda’s road to self-discovery meant arming up for battle.
