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At the Venice Film Festival, 88-year-old Jane Fonda addressed pressing issues facing the entertainment industry and society at large. The acclaimed actress spoke to journalists before receiving an honor at the DVF Awards, a charity gala celebrating extraordinary women. During the conversation, Fonda expressed her strong opposition to a proposed merger between Paramount and Warner Bros., citing concerns about consumer impact and industry consolidation.
Fonda outlined several reasons for her stance against the merger, including the substantial debt that would be transferred to the combined entity and the anticipated negative consequences for workers and creative professionals. She emphasized that fewer studios would mean reduced opportunities for artists to sell their work and diminished bargaining power for talent and unions. The actress expressed optimism about ongoing efforts to prevent the deal from moving forward, despite acknowledging her personal respect for some individuals involved in the transaction.
Beyond industry matters, Fonda criticized wealthy figures she described as “tech bros, oligarchs and billionaires” for pursuing longevity and life extension while contributing to broader societal harms. She also voiced her support for actor Mark Ruffalo’s right to speak out on political matters, characterizing accusations made against him as a deliberate tactic to silence dissent.
Looking forward, Fonda shared updates on her acting career after a five-year hiatus. She revealed that “The Correspondent,” a Lionsgate adaptation of a bestselling novel, is moving toward production, with filming potentially beginning in January. She expressed genuine enthusiasm about returning to performance work.
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Originally reported by Variety →
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