Hollywood icon Jane Fonda took the stage at the SAG Awards on Sunday night to accept the prestigious SAG Life Achievement Award—using the moment not to celebrate her career, but to push a divisive political message defending woke culture and calling for resistance against Trump-era policies.
As much of the public moves away from the divisive rhetoric of woke ideology, Fonda doubled down, attempting to redefine it as nothing more than caring about others. “What we, actors, create is empathy. Our job is to understand another human being so profoundly that we can touch their souls,” she stated. “And make no mistake, empathy is not weak or woke. By the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people.”
The actress, known for her activism, also took aim at the Trump administration’s past efforts to shrink the federal bureaucracy, implying that recent political moves could have harmful consequences. “A whole lot of people are going to be really hurt by what is happening,” she warned. “Even if they’re of a different political persuasion, we need to not judge but listen from our hearts.”
Fonda then pivoted to a defense of unions, an issue that has long been at the center of Hollywood labor disputes. “I’m a big believer in unions. They have our backs,” she stated. “They bring us into community, and they give us power. Community means power, and this is really important right now when workers’ power has been attacked and community is being weakened.”
Closing her speech, Fonda reflected on her long history of activism, mentioning her resistance to McCarthyism in the 1950s and urging her fellow actors to continue standing against what she sees as political oppression. While Hollywood elites cheered, many Americans watching at home were left wondering if an awards show should be yet another stage for political grandstanding.
As the entertainment industry continues to alienate audiences by injecting politics into every moment, Fonda’s speech serves as a reminder of just how deeply entrenched woke ideology remains in Hollywood. Whether her words will rally support or drive more Americans away from the industry remains to be seen.
