Jane Fonda delivers fiery speech accepting SAG's lifetime achievement award: 'Empathy is not weak or woke'

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Received the 60th SAG-AFTRA SAG Life Achievement Award for career achievements and humanitarian efforts, and used the moment to give a passionate speech strongly opposing the Trump administration.

The actor, whose work has spanned more than six decades, used her acceptance speech at the SAG Awards on Sunday night as an opportunity to express her views on the significance of participating in politics, showing empathy, labor unions, and standing up against oppression. Fonda's commitment to activism and social justice has been a defining characteristic of her career.

"Make no mistake, empathy is not weak, and being aware of the struggles of others is not being 'woke.' And by the way, 'woke' simply means you genuinely care about other people," Fonda said, after expressing her gratitude to her peers for the award.

A huge number of people are going to be severely impacted by what's about to happen," she went on. "And even if they have different political views, we need to tap into our empathy and not judge them, but rather listen to them with an open heart and welcome them into our community, because we're going to need a very inclusive group to effectively resist what's coming our way.

Noting that her film career began at the end of the McCarthy era and the Red Scare, Fonda pointed out that the Hollywood community needs to stand up for what they believe in. "This is a serious situation, folks, so let's be courageous," she said.

We cannot isolate ourselves. We must remain connected with one another. We must support those in need. We must seek out ways to share a hopeful vision of what's to come.

Fonda has been nominated for a SAG Award four times, but has not yet received one. In 2014, she was nominated as part of the cast of "The Butler." In 2017 and the two following years, she was individually nominated for her performance in "Grace and Frankie."

Fonda's activism in the 1970s made her a highly divisive figure, especially due to her involvement in the anti-Vietnam War movement. She remains committed to raising awareness about causes she cares about, such as climate change, which has been her main focus in recent years. Fonda has also been outspoken about her disagreements with President Trump's policies in the past. During her speech, she did not directly mention the president or any of his administration's specific policies or actions, but her intent was unmistakable.

Fonda also stated that she is a "big believer in unions," acknowledging and expressing gratitude to the SAG-AFTRA union.

They've got our backs. They bring us together as a community and give us the power to stand up for ourselves," Fonda continued. "Community is what gives us power, and this is especially crucial right now because workers' rights are being threatened and community is being dismantled.

In October, she said in a statement that she was "honored and humbled" to receive the award. "I have been working in this field for nearly my entire life and there's no greater honor than the one given to you by your fellow professionals," she went on to say.

At the Golden Globes in 2021.

The daughter of Henry Fonda and sister of Peter Fonda, the "Klute" star began her acting career at 22 in the film "Tall Story," and went on to star in several notable movies, including "Barbarella," "Coming Home," "9 to 5," and "The China Syndrome."

Fonda joins a notable group of actors who have received the award, including Barbra Streisand, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, and Carol Burnett.

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