Jane Fonda defends ‘woke,’ saying it 'means you give a damn about other people'

Jane Fonda defended “woke” while accepting an award Sunday from the Screen Actors Guild Awards, a speech largely aimed at President Trump and the current American moment.

Fonda, 87, accepted a Life Achievement Award and detailed her acting career, which she said began when women were forced to subdue their anger.

She praised the fellow actors in the crowd for their ability to create empathy through complex characters.

“While you may hate the behavior of your character, you have to understand and emphasize with the traumatized person you’re playing, right? I’m thinking Sebastian Stan in ‘The Apprentice,’” Fonda said. “Make no mistake, empathy is not weak or woke.”

“And by the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people,” she added.

While the actress didn’t explicitly call out Trump, she highlighted Stan’s performance in “The Apprentice,” in which he depicted Trump’s rise to fame.

Fonda’s remarks earned applause from the crowd.

Her statements follow Trump’s in regard to the Kennedy Center.

In an unusual and unprecedented move, the president named himself the chair of the performing arts center and told reporters that he took over the center because he didn’t like what they were showing, saying it’s “not going to be woke” because there is “no more woke in this country.”

Fonda referenced Trump’s recent policies, and she called on her fellow actors to protect vulnerable Americans and build one another up.

“A whole lot of people are going to be really hurt by what is happening, what is coming our way. And even if they’re of a different political persuasion, we need to call upon our empathy and not judge, but listen from our hearts and welcome them into our tent because we are going to need a big tent to resist successfully what’s coming at us,” Fonda said.

Topics

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

Actor and activist Jane Fonda received the lifetime achievement honor at the SAG Awards recognizing her decades-spanning work and her humanitarian accomplishments.
Los Angeles Times - 16h
Jane Fonda, Sneakerhead

The actor and activist on aging into her latest role: sneaker model.
The New York Times - 6d
'Conclave' wins big at SAG Awards; Jane Fonda’s speech offers a moment of political resistance

The papal thriller “Conclave” won best ensemble and Timothée Chalamet took best actor at the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, a pair of twists that added a few final wrinkles to an ...
NBC News - 13h
SAG Awards 2025 Red Carpet Photos: Jane Fonda, Timothée Chalamet and More

Check out what film and television stars wore as they arrived for the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday night.
The New York Times - 5h
What Would Trump Taking Control of the USPS Mean for You?

Some reports say Trump plans to take control of the USPS, possibly to privatize it. Here’s what that could mean for businesses and consumers.
Inc. - 2d
Report: Rams give Matthew Stafford permission to speak to other teams

Weird vibe between team and player could be getting weirder.
Yahoo Sports - 2d
Butler gives Warriors fans plenty to cheer about in home debut

Jimmy Butler III finally got his chance to show off for the Chase Center crowd in his Golden State Warriors home debut on Sunday.
Yahoo Sports - 1d
Matthew Stafford trade rumors: Rams give other NFL teams permission to discuss contract with QB, per report

The veteran gunslinger may be available
CBS Sports - 1d
The asteroid hits and near-misses you never hear about

Since a potentially hazardous asteroid was detected in December, tens of others objects have come close to Earth.
BBC News - 1d
The anti-woke overcorrection is here

Conservatives are mistaking public dislike of the cultural left for enthusiasm for the opposite dogma
Financial Times - 2d
Trump says he's weighing giving 20% of DOGE savings to Americans

President Donald Trump revealed Wednesday that he's considering sending 20% of the money saved by the Department of Government Efficiency to Americans.
CNBC - 4d
Once kids start dying, we'll see how people really feel about immunization mandates

Anti-vaxxer movement is putting children at risk, with 13 states allowing immunization exemptions and governors issuing executive orders allowing latitude for exemptions, while the number of ...
The Hill - 6h
Can a brown Hindu be English? English people say yes. Why do so many on the right say no? | Kenan Malik

An argument about Rishi Sunak’s identity reveals how ideas of ethnicity and race have become conflated. ‘They think they’re English because they’re born here. That means if a dog’s born in a stable ...
The Guardian - 1d
‘You dream about such things’: Brit who discovered missing pharaoh’s tomb may have unearthed another

Archaeologist believes his ‘find of the century’ – of Pharaoh Thutmose II – could be surpassed by ongoing excavation. To uncover the location of one long-lost pharaoh’s tomb is a career-defining ...
The Guardian - 2d
Eggs are a hot commodity. On social media, posting about them can help you go viral.

A new genre of content has emerged online surrounding all things eggs, as people scramble to find ways to get the grocery item amid soaring prices.
NBC News - 1d
Can you trust Elon Musk and his ‘DOGE’ claims about government fraud?

American people deserve answers about what these Washington outsiders-turned-insiders are up to
MarketWatch - 20h
How much home $300,000 buys you in every U.S. state—in Hawaii, it's about as much space as a shipping container

A $300,000 homebuying budget can get you four times more space depending on which state you live in.
CNBC - 3h
Trump says he will end the war in Ukraine – but how, and who will benefit? Our panel responds | Olga Chyzh and others

The US president is breaking every negotiating rule in the book, to the bewilderment of his allies. Europe is now at a crossroads Continue reading...
The Guardian - 2d
Congo says rebel uprising in its east has killed over 7,000 people this year

More than 7,000 people have died this year as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have captured unprecedented amounts of territory in mineral-rich eastern Congo
ABC News - 4h
Ukraine war live: Zelenskyy says he would give up presidency for peace and Nato membership

Comments come after Russia launches largest drone attack on eve of third anniversary of invasion. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to give a press conference this afternoon at about 14:30 GMT. We ...
The Guardian - 23h
Zelenskyy says he’s willing to give up presidency for peace in Ukraine or NATO membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a press conference in Kyiv on Sunday he would be willing to resign from his post in exchange for peace in Ukraine or NATO membership.
NBC News - 1d
What Patriots' latest roster move says about team's power structure

The Patriots' release of Sione Takitaki offers a clue as to who's really in charge of personnel decisions in New England, says Phil Perry.
Yahoo Sports - 4d
Cousin of Pope Francis says he is 'worried' about pontiff's health

Yahoo News - 1d
Mullin says Trump 'joked' about running a third time

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said Sunday that President Trump was joking when he floated running for a third term, adding he could not seek to change the Constitution without the consent of ...
The Hill - 1d
Defending Europe without the US

European capitals are attempting to fill the security gap
Financial Times - 3d
The Meaning of Germany’s Election

We examine the role of immigration in the outcome.
The New York Times - 7h
This 1 Small Change to Every Email Is the ‘Most Effective Thing You Can Do’ Says Communications Expert

‘Language mimicry’ can lead people to trust you, says Ping author Andrew Brodsky.
Inc. - 4d
A Colleague Just Spit Out a “Dumb” Idea. Here’s Exactly What You Should Say Next

How can your team build on a foundation of trust and psychological safety? It starts with respect.
Inc. - 2d
Do you need to make $100,000 to buy a home? Census data says yes

The median income for new homebuyers has increased sharply since the Covid pandemic and surpassed six figures, according to an NBC News analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.
NBC News - 2d
How Washington plans to defend the dollar

Trade tariffs grab headlines but the less-visible fight around money matters deeply to the president
Financial Times - 2d
Neuroscience Says 2 Minutes a Day Can Make You Less Stressed, More Focused, and Even Increase the Size of Your Brain

Too busy for self care? This type of (in)activity provides clear cognitive benefits.
Inc. - 4d
Pardoned Jan. 6 defendants attend conservative conference

It was one month ago, on his first day back in office, that President Trump made good on his promise to pardon the rioters involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. On Thursday, some of them ...
CBS News - 3d
Can Europe afford to defend itself without the US?

Also in this newsletter: The EU’s peace offering in Trump’s trade war
Financial Times - 3d
A Strong Dollar Means Bargains for Americans Traveling Abroad

The dollar’s strength against the euro, the yen and other foreign currencies means bargains for U.S. travelers.
The New York Times - 4d
What the German election result means for Europe

Also in this newsletter: Emmanuel Macron tries to woo Trump
Financial Times - 12h
What Trump’s Deportation Plans Mean for Central America

Deporting migrants to Central American countries removes many political and legal hurdles for the Trump administration. How far can the practice go before these nations reach a breaking point?
The New York Times - 8h
This Is Our Country, and We Have No Other

How long can Ukraine stand? For as long as Ukrainian soldiers, bent over from the extreme pressure, can hold on.
The New York Times - 1d
Julianne Moore’s freckles? How Republican bans on ‘woke’ books have reached new level

Trump administration escalates movement forged by US states to censor literature in full-scale DEI crackdown. When the actor Julianne Moore learned her children’s book, Freckleface Strawberry , ...
The Guardian - 3h
China Defends South Africa’s G20 Ambitions as Rubio Snubs Meeting

The absence of Secretary of State Marco Rubio hung over the year’s first high-level meeting of the world’s largest economies, with diplomats fretting over turbulent times.
The New York Times - 3d