(Beverly Hills) She’s 85, an arm’s length filmography, and a recent cancer survivor, but Jane Fonda isn’t planning on slowing down for a second in her activism against global warming, “the greatest crisis humanity has ever faced. never had to face”.
“My cancer is in remission. I have lots of energy. I’m ready to fight even more,” she told AFP Thursday, on the sidelines of the Hollywood Climate Summit being held in Los Angeles through Saturday.
“I’m part of the Hollywood community, I don’t think that community has done enough to fight this (climate, editor’s note) crisis. So I’m here to encourage that,” the Oscar-winning actress explained.
The summit brings together filmmakers, scientists and activists in an attempt to change the culture of the film industry and raise viewers’ awareness of climate issues.
Among the participants were the directors of Everything Everywhere All At Once, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, as well as the star of the sitcom Abbott Elementary, Quinta Brunson.
Jane Fonda moderated a panel on “Hollywood Takes On The Oil Industry,” calling on the entertainment industry to stop investing in fossil fuels and reduce its carbon footprint.
The actress notably mentioned a Californian law prohibiting the drilling of new oil wells within a kilometer of homes, schools or parks.
The law, signed into law last year by California Governor Gavin Newsom, is being challenged by the oil and gas industry, which successfully petitioned to suspend the measure and put it to a referendum in 2024.
These attempts to obstruct the law “must be blocked. Everyone must mobilize” to prevent a precedent from being set in this very democratic state, Jane Fonda launched Thursday.
And the actress enumerates: “People get sick with cancer, cardiovascular disease, lung disease, have asthma, kids miss school, children are born with birth defects because they live near medical facilities. ‘fossil fuels. »
Jane Fonda, star from the 1960s with roles like Barbarella, became a cinema icon with her Oscars for best actress for Klute (1971) and Retour (1978).
It was during this time that she became active, including becoming the first Hollywood celebrity to travel to Hanoi to protest the war in Vietnam.
And ecology has long been one of its priorities. Only recently, she spoke at the United Nations in defense of marine biodiversity, challenged the installation of an oil pipeline in Minnesota and was repeatedly arrested outside the Capitol in Washington while protesting. to draw attention to the climate crisis.
If she didn’t, she told AFP, she would be “so depressed” that she would lose sleep.
But it’s not, “because I’m doing my best… We all need to do our best, before it’s too late.” »
Jane Fonda has recently starred in numerous projects, such as the film 80 for Brady (2022) or the Netflix series Grace and Frankie (2015-2022).
But in September, she revealed that she had cancer of the lymphatic system and had started chemotherapy. Then, three months later, the one who had already had to fight breast and skin cancer before, announced that she was in remission.
While a screenwriters’ strike is currently shaking Hollywood, she intends to devote herself fully to activism, especially as the next American presidential election approaches in November 2024.
“I’m not even going to try to work (in film, editor’s note) for the next year and a half,” she said. “The next election is really crucial. »
“When you’re famous and have a megaphone, people listen, they pay attention” to what you say. “So make good use of it!” added the superstar.
