Jane Fonda to Receive Golden Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille Award
BY SCOTTIE KNOLLIN
Jane Fonda will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the upcoming 78th Golden Globe Awards, according to a press release from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
The Cecil B. DeMille Award is the highest honor given by the HFPA, an award that celebrates the honoree’s contributions to cinema and/or television. Past recipients include Robert De Niro, Sophia Loren, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, and Meryl Streep. Last year, the award went to Tom Hanks.
In a statement, HFPA President Ali Sar said, “For more than five decades, Jane’s breadth of work has been anchored in her unrelenting activism, using her platform to address some of the most important social issues of our time. Her undeniable talent has gained her the highest level of recognition, and while her professional life has taken many turns, her unwavering commitment to evoking change has remained. We are honored to celebrate her achievements at the 2021 Golden Globe Awards.”
Fonda has been a notable name in Hollywood for over 5 decades, having starred in such classics as “Barefoot in the Park”, “Coming Home”, “Klute”, “The China Syndrome”, and “9 to 5”.
The actress grew up in Beverly Hills with her movie star father, Henry Fonda. Her brother, Peter Fonda, also lead a successful film career. In 1958, she began studying acting with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in Malibu before making her film debut in 1960’s “Tall Story” opposite Anthony Perkins. Her performance in the film earned her a since-discontinued New Star of the Year Golden Globe award. By the end of the ‘60s, Fonda had starred in over 15 films, including “Walk on the Wild Side” and “Barbarella”. The latter was directed by her then-husband, Roger Vadim.
In 1969, Fonda, who had been living in Paris, returned to Los Angeles and swiftly became a notable political activist in opposition of the Vietnam War. Her activism has continued throughout her career. She’s marched for civil rights and feminist causes. Currently, she leads Fire Drill Fridays as part of a national movement to raise awareness about the climate crisis.
Also that year, Fonda starred in “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”, a film that earned her critical acclaim and established her as more than just a box office star. She earned her first Oscar nomination for her work in the film. Her first Oscar win came in 1971 for her work in “Klute”. Over the course of her career, she’s earned an additional 5 Oscar nominations and one additional win, for Best Actress (“Coming Home”). Her most recent nomination was for Best Actress for 1986’s “The Morning After”.
At the Golden Globes, Fonda has been a recurring award favorite. Since her first win in 1960, Fonda has earned 14 nominations (with 6 wins among them) for her work in film and television. Her most recent Golden Globe nomination was for 2015’s “Youth” for Best Supporting Actress.
Fonda can currently be seen starring in Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie”.
The Cecil B. DeMille Award will be presented during the upcoming Golden Globe Awards telecast, which will air Sunday, February 28.
