Jane Fonda on Why She Picketed—And Why She Can’t Quit LA

Jane Fonda has been an icon and activist for decades, and her presence on the picket lines—and at the microphone—energized her fellow actors during the pivotal SAG-AFTRA strike last year. We’re proud to include her in our 2024 Hollywood Issue portfolio dedicated to “the power and the glamour” of the entertainment industry.

Vanity Fair: You were a regular presence on the picket lines during the actors strike. Why was it important to you to be involved?

Jane Fonda: The strike was very important because what was decided is going to determine a lot about whether anybody that’s not above the line—you know, not an A-list actor—can actually be a worker in the entertainment business and have a decent life, a middle-class life. If it was gonna go badly for us, the answer would be no. Some very important decisions were made. One can earn a living now and support oneself in the industry. And I think that’s good. It was very important for me to show up and bring my friends who are actors out on the picket line with me.

This portfolio is a celebration of Hollywood and the city of Los Angeles. You could presumably live anywhere you want. What does this city mean to you?

Hollywood is actually cozy if you have a car, know how to drive, and have friends. It can also seem huge, empty, and lonely if you don’t have a car, don’t drive, and don’t have friends. I’ve lived a whole lot of places in my life, and I think that LA is where I want to die.

Hair, Jonathan Hanousek; Makeup, David DeLeon; tailor, Zoya Milentyeva. Produced on location by Portfolio One. For details, go to VF.com/credits.