Jane Fonda Through the Years: Iconic Photos of the Actress & Activist Then and Now
Explore the life of the 87-year-old actress and activist through iconic photos of her over the years!
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Actress, activist, and iconâ is there anything Jane Fonda canât do? At 87, the Grace and Frankie star remains as dedicated to her craft as she was in the 1960s. The daughter of legendary actor Henry Fonda, Jane made her film debut in 1960 with Tall Story. From that early start to her â80s workout video era and her ongoing career, her style and signature looks have evolved dramatically over the years.
When Jane launched her film career in the 1960s, she showcased her versatility by starring in a variety of genresâfrom westerns like Cat Ballou to romances and tearjerkers. She became widely known for her role in Barbarella, an ultra-risque sci-fi film where she played a seductive space explorer on a cosmic quest for love. Offscreen, however, Jane embraced a more down-to-earth style. She often favored pearls, soft curls, and a few mod outfits. Her hair was typically styled in a reddish-brown hue, as seen in photos from that era.
As she evolved both as an actress and a social justice activist, her looks followed suit. Always in tune with the times, her hairstyles transformed with the decades. In the 1970s, she sported tousled, long blonde locks. By the 1980s, she embraced voluminous perms, a look she famously showcased in her iconic workout videos. In her later years, Jane has kept her hair blonde and cropped, a style she continued on her hit series Grace and Frankie. In fact, it became a key plot point that her character, Grace, looked so youthful that viewers found it hard to believe she was actually 80 years old at the time.
Fans were thrilled when Jane embraced her natural grey hair at the 2020 Academy Awards. Dressed in a stunning glittery gown, she took the stage to present the Best Picture Award to Parasite, her hair flawlessly silver, showing off her effortless elegance and confidence.
It may be hard to believe that Jane is just as stunning in 2025 as she was in the 1960s, but check out some pictures of her here to see how beautifully sheâs transformed over the decades.
Jane Fonda in 1965Jane Fonda in a 1965 portrait (AP)Jane Fonda in 2018Jane Fonda at the 2018 Academy Awards (AP)Jane Fonda in 2025LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA â FEBRUARY 23: Jane Fonda attends the 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on February 23, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)