Veteran Hollywood actress Jane Fonda has expressed her surprise as she nears her 88th birthday, having once thought she would perish from “drugs and loneliness” by the age of 30.
In a conversation on The Look, a special series from Michelle Obama’s IMO podcast, the Grace and Frankie star shared, “I didn’t think I’d live past 30. I was sure I was going to die. (My) youth was not especially happy…I’m not addicted, but I thought I was going to die from drugs and loneliness. So the fact that I’m almost 88 is astonishing to me.”
Reflecting on her current phase of life, she stated, “I wouldn’t go back for anything. I feel more centered, more whole, more complete. I’m very happy, single.”
Fonda reveals she has “never” feared aging or the end of her life, taking time to reflect as she approaches her “final act.” She mentioned, “More importantly, I’m not afraid of dying. The most important thing I did was when I was going to turn 60, and in my mind…this is the beginning of my final act, and I didn’t know how to live it.”
During that period, the 80 for Brady actress confronted her greatest fears, which transformed her perspective.
She remarked, “I’m afraid of dying with a lot of regrets. I watched my dad die with a lot of regrets. That was an important realization for me because if you don’t want to die with regrets, then you have to live the last part of your life in such a way that there won’t be any regrets. I also want to be surrounded by people who love me…”
“Forgiveness comes into play, including forgiving myself. That actually has guided me in the last 30 years. I’ve been living to not have regrets,” she added.
Fonda believes that old age can be “fantastic” if approached with intention. She emphasized, “I think that old age is fantastic if it’s lived intentionally. Intentionality is the key. Really thinking about it. I’m controversial, and I’m an activist, and I’ve been very unpopular. I’m popular right now. It probably won’t last, but I think that it’s important for somebody like me—who’s an activist—to show that I can also look good and that I’m still hireable. It encourages the young ones to not be so afraid.”