Jane Fonda delivered a rousing speech calling for people to stand up and “be brave” during what she called America’s “documentary moment.”
The acting legend was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday night.
She took the opportunity to urge those in attendance and people watching at home to embrace empathy amid the increasingly tense political climate.
In a powerful speech, Fonda said empathy is “not weak or woke,” adding: “And by the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people.”
The actor said people need to “call upon our empathy” and “listen from our hearts” so that people of different political persuasions can be “welcomed into our tent.”
“We are going to need a big tent to resist successfully what’s coming at us,” she added.
The two-time Oscar winner went on to say the US is now going through another “documentary moment” comparable to movements such as Stonewall and the fight for civil rights.
She asked the stars in attendance whether they would have had the bravery to stand up for what was right during previous movements, before then saying they’ll no longer have to wonder about that because America is facing a similar moment.
“We mustn’t for a moment kid ourselves – this is big time serious,” she continued, urging people to “be brave,” in what was a clear reference to the politics of the Trump administration.
In a rousing call, Fonda called for people to “protect the vulnerable and find ways to project an inspiring vision of the future.”
You can watch the full speech.
Reacting to her speech, many praised Fonda for the powerful words.
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