Latest news with #HanoiJane
Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Jane Fonda at 87: ‘I'm not a Kardashian, okay? I prefer not to wear make-up'
There are some ambassadors for beauty brands with whom an interview can feel like a rehearsal for a TV commercial; a passionate explanation of the merits of a certain face cream or a shampoo. Not with Jane Fonda, who, at 87 years old, is unapologetically telling me the opposite. 'I don't have very much to say about make-up,' she shrugs. 'I'm not a fanatic about make-up, you know, I'm not a Kardashian, okay? I just moisturise a lot and I always prefer when I don't have to put make-up on.' Despite being an award-winning actress with a career spanning six decades, I gather Fonda has more important issues on her mind: Fonda has just returned from the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador where she spent eight days as part of her work to support indigenous land rights. She has been an outspoken activist for over 50 years, earning the nickname 'Hanoi Jane' in the 1970s for protesting the Vietnam War, and more recently has been working with Greenpeace on climate change. She's now in the French Riviera dressed in a crisp cream blazer, looking every inch the glamorous octogenarian you see on the red carpet. There's not a single eyelash or natural silver hair from her halo of curls out of place. As ambassador for L'Oreal Paris, she's a regular on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, along with the brand's other ambassadors such as Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet and Andie MacDowell. 'It's always fun to be here,' she tells me. 'I like the other ambassadors, you know, I have good friends here so I'm always very happy to see them.' No matter how many times she's been on a red carpet, though, she explains it's still 'a challenge'. 'I feel beautiful when I've gotten all fixed up to go out, when somebody has done my hair and I've got my beautiful clothes on and I'm going out. I feel beautiful then, sometimes. Not always.' She pauses. 'Up until the time when you have to put a corset on and you're plucked into it trying to pretend like you're not uncomfortable, and you're trying to not fall over. You know, it's challenging. I'm not crazy about doing things like that, but I do it.' Does she ever think about how she looks? 'I mean, I think a lot about how I look if I'm going to go out to a party, but for everyday life, I don't think about it that much. It's hard for me to talk about 'beauty' because it's not what I think about very much.' Fonda stopped colouring her hair at 83, and tells me she only washes her hair once a week. As for the shine on her silver strands, she uses the L'Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss 5 Minute Lamination Treatment. She tells me she loves a good mascara, such as the Volume Million Lashes by L'Oreal Paris and also uses foundation and 'rouge, or whatever you call it,' she says flatly, shrugging her shoulders. Volume Million Lashes by L'Oreal Paris, £11.99, Boots; L'Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss 5 Minute Lamination Treatment, £16.99 (currently on sale for £8.49), Boots She is refreshingly uninterested in an elaborate beauty regime. 'I think there are some people that chase beauty, and I'm not one of them, but there are some people who do for sure,' she tells me. 'I feel sorry for them because it's elusive.' According to Fonda, what matters more is how a person chooses to live. 'If a person, and it can be a man or a woman, knows who they are and they are living the way they want to live in life and they feel they have integrity, it's gonna show in their face and in their demeanour, right? I think that person would be in some ways more beautiful.' She pauses for a minute. 'Someone who was unhappy and didn't know how to express themselves and self-worth, I don't think it's a good sign,' she says, shaking her head. 'Especially if a person is always obsessed with how they look.' Is there any advice she'd give to her younger self? 'Don't give up Jane, it's gonna get better.' I reluctantly ask her if she cares to elaborate. She sighs. 'Well, my mother killed herself and everybody in my family suffered from depression.' (When Fonda was 12, her mother died in a psychiatric hospital.) 'Um, a lot of our friends committed suicide and early life was not so happy,' she continues. 'And so what I would say to myself is don't give up, don't kill yourself, it's going to get better, especially if you work at making it better.' For Fonda, there was no single 'turning point' to feeling better. 'It's just little-by-little,' she says, looking off to one corner. 'You get better, you grow, you become wiser if you work on yourself.' Part of this is in the form of exercise: Fonda's 1982 fitness video changed the landscape of fitness for women, and she told The Telegraph in an interview last year that she 'forces' herself to exercise 'because it makes a difference not just in my body, but in my brain'. As our interview time comes to an end, I ask Fonda what her favourite part of being in Cannes is? 'Taking it all off,' she says, gesturing to her face and clothes, 'and getting into bed. I'd much rather have it off than on.' She stops, and leaves with her final few words of advice. 'Stay happy, have good posture and get enough sleep.'
The Herald Scotland
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Surely King Creosote is allowed to have his own opinions?
Anderson sang the praises of several right-leaning showbiz controversialists such as Mel Gibson and Eric Clapton – and TV presenter Neil Oliver - prompting critics to ask two central questions; whatever happened to the days when pop stars led the protest vote on behalf of the ordinary person? And in these days of cancel culture, is it clever to voice a political opinion that even Donald Trump supporters would stay clear of? A generation or two ago, we delighted in hearing John Lennon sing Give Peace A Chance, because we all knew the Vietnam War was rancid. And who didn't support Jane Fonda when 'Hanoi Jane' was vilified by American Republicans. Over the years we've heard the liberal protest voice amplified by the likes of Dylan and Springsteen, the Dixie Chicks and Taylor Swift. Read more on King Creosote Those on the right have long wailed into the microphone too. James Cagney was a friend of Ronald Reagan who saw hippies as 'functionless creatures". Charlton Heston and John Wayne were also Good Old Boys who believed guns to be a force for good. And in more recent years the voice of conservatism has been carried loud and clear by Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, Tony Hadley, Lulu and Geri Halliwell. Yet, in these days of polarised opinions and social media pile-ons, is it wise to be too vocal? Sir Elton John, in cautious voice, admits he's left leaning. 'If I was to say what I am, I'd be a Labour man. And in America I'd definitely be a Democrat; I'd never be a Republican. But I just want people to vote for things that are just, things that are important to people; the right to choose, the right to be who you are, and not let anybody else tell you who to be.' PR guru Mark Borkowski supports the argument for artists putting their own message out there – if the cause is right. 'Once upon a time music was synonymous with political dissent. I knew of Peter Paul and Mary primarily through Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart and Puff the Magic Dragon: but for an entire coffee house generation these guys owed their cred as much to their political attitudes and moral and ethical outlook as to their music.' He adds; 'Maybe the rock icons of this age are toothless tigers, a bunch of easy-living no-goods whose rage is all front, a force for nothing bar their own inflated incomes and egos. In which case, forget it, dismiss the Dylans, Seegers, Geldofs, Bonos and other humanitarian rock crusaders as unfortunate blips in musical history, and let's get on with selling the T-shirts.' King Creosote referred to Neil Oliver as 'one of the best guys' (Image: free) Billy Bragg or Paul Weller will sing out their lefty stance from the rooftops. As will Alice Cooper on the right. However, while Bruce Springsteen may be America's blue-collar representative on stage, the Boss suggests caution when it comes to proselytizing. 'The more you do it, your two cents becomes one cent and then no cents whatsoever,' he maintains. 'So, I think your credibility and your impact lessens the more you do it. That's why I've been hesitant to overplay my hand in that area, and I generally come to service when I feel it's kind of necessary and it might help a little bit." Is that what it's about? Measuring mood - and yet still being true to your convictions? Lulu didn't seem to measure the mood in Scotland when the former tenement baby revealed herself a Thatcherite. However, the singer from Dennistoun's record sales didn't nosedive as a result. And actor Vince Vaughn's career didn't suffer a nosebleed, in spite of becoming a Trumpeteer in recent years. Yet, supporting a mainstream political party is one thing, but when you align yourself with extreme thought – a clear example being Mel Gibson's apology for anti-Semitic ranting during his arrest for drink-driving – or tie into conspiracy theories - then your career could be headed for the toilet. PR professional James Nickerson argues that if artists feel strongly about being political, they need to be aware of the potential fallout. 'Artists really have to be sure enough in their belief that if they lose some of their fan base, they will be okay with that.' That doesn't seem to be the case with The Smiths former frontman Morrissey, who once wore a For Britain badge, (a right-wing political party Nigel Farage believed to be made up of 'Nazis and racists'), declared reggae to be 'the most racist music in the world' and defended Harvey Weinstein. The singer later admitted to fans in the US; "As you know, nobody will release my music anymore.' John Wayne was a well-known right-winger (Image: free) So, it's fine to air views, if it's to demand civil rights, or demand the end to wars or battle the gun lobby. But when you cross the line, as actor Laurence Fox seems to have done when making statements such as 'The wokeists are fundamentally a racist bunch' then there's a real chance you can find yourself looking for a new line of work. Yet, we don't want our artists' mouths to be taped up. I once interviewed the icon that is Smokey Robinson and Smokey didn't want to talk about early Motown days or offer thoughts on romancing Diana Ross. All he wanted to talk about for two long hours was Jesus and how God found him. And it was apparent that God hadn't given Robinson the gift of self-awareness. But at least the interview ended with an understanding of the man. And doesn't that signal that even if we don't agree with the voices of the likes of King Creosote it's better to know what a performer actually thinks? What we've also got to consider is that most people who complain about an artist's expression of their views are just upset because they don't agree with their own. So, let's hear the voices from the ends of the spectrum.
The Herald Scotland
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Surely King Creosote is allowed to have his own opinion?
Anderson sang the praises of several right-leaning showbiz controversialists such as Mel Gibson and Eric Clapton – and TV presenter Neil Oliver - prompting critics to ask two central questions; whatever happened to the days when pop stars led the protest vote on behalf of the ordinary person? And in these days of cancel culture, is it clever to voice a political opinion that even Donald Trump supporters would stay clear of? A generation or two ago, we delighted in hearing John Lennon sing Give Peace A Chance, because we all knew the Vietnam War was rancid. And who didn't support Jane Fonda when 'Hanoi Jane' was vilified by American Republicans. Over the years we've heard the liberal protest voice amplified by the likes of Dylan and Springsteen, the Dixie Chicks and Taylor Swift. Read more on King Creosote Those on the right have long wailed into the microphone too. James Cagney was a friend of Ronald Reagan who saw hippies as 'functionless creatures". Charlton Heston and John Wayne were also Good Old Boys who believed guns to be a force for good. And in more recent years the voice of conservatism has been carried loud and clear by Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, Tony Hadley, Lulu and Geri Halliwell. Yet, in these days of polarised opinions and social media pile-ons, is it wise to be too vocal? Sir Elton John, in cautious voice, admits he's left leaning. 'If I was to say what I am, I'd be a Labour man. And in America I'd definitely be a Democrat; I'd never be a Republican. But I just want people to vote for things that are just, things that are important to people; the right to choose, the right to be who you are, and not let anybody else tell you who to be.' PR guru Mark Borkowski supports the argument for artists putting their own message out there – if the cause is right. 'Once upon a time music was synonymous with political dissent. I knew of Peter Paul and Mary primarily through Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart and Puff the Magic Dragon: but for an entire coffee house generation these guys owed their cred as much to their political attitudes and moral and ethical outlook as to their music.' He adds; 'Maybe the rock icons of this age are toothless tigers, a bunch of easy-living no-goods whose rage is all front, a force for nothing bar their own inflated incomes and egos. In which case, forget it, dismiss the Dylans, Seegers, Geldofs, Bonos and other humanitarian rock crusaders as unfortunate blips in musical history, and let's get on with selling the T-shirts.' King Creosote referred to Neil Oliver as 'one of the best guys' (Image: free) Billy Bragg or Paul Weller will sing out their lefty stance from the rooftops. As will Alice Cooper on the right. However, while Bruce Springsteen may be America's blue-collar representative on stage, the Boss suggests caution when it comes to proselytizing. 'The more you do it, your two cents becomes one cent and then no cents whatsoever,' he maintains. 'So, I think your credibility and your impact lessens the more you do it. That's why I've been hesitant to overplay my hand in that area, and I generally come to service when I feel it's kind of necessary and it might help a little bit." Is that what it's about? Measuring mood - and yet still being true to your convictions? Lulu didn't seem to measure the mood in Scotland when the former tenement baby revealed herself a Thatcherite. However, the singer from Dennistoun's record sales didn't nosedive as a result. And actor Vince Vaughn's career didn't suffer a nosebleed, in spite of becoming a Trumpeteer in recent years. Yet, supporting a mainstream political party is one thing, but when you align yourself with extreme thought – a clear example being Mel Gibson's apology for anti-Semitic ranting during his arrest for drink-driving – or tie into conspiracy theories - then your career could be headed for the toilet. PR professional James Nickerson argues that if artists feel strongly about being political, they need to be aware of the potential fallout. 'Artists really have to be sure enough in their belief that if they lose some of their fan base, they will be okay with that.' That doesn't seem to be the case with The Smiths former frontman Morrissey, who once wore a For Britain badge, (a right-wing political party Nigel Farage believed to be made up of 'Nazis and racists'), declared reggae to be 'the most racist music in the world' and defended Harvey Weinstein. The singer later admitted to fans in the US; "As you know, nobody will release my music anymore.' John Wayne was a well-known right-winger (Image: free) So, it's fine to air views, if it's to demand civil rights, or demand the end to wars or battle the gun lobby. But when you cross the line, as actor Laurence Fox seems to have done when making statements such as 'The wokeists are fundamentally a racist bunch' then there's a real chance you can find yourself looking for a new line of work. Yet, we don't want our artists' mouths to be taped up. I once interviewed the icon that is Smokey Robinson and Smokey didn't want to talk about early Motown days or offer thoughts on romancing Diana Ross. All he wanted to talk about for two long hours was Jesus and how God found him. And it was apparent that God hadn't given Robinson the gift of self-awareness. But at least the interview ended with an understanding of the man. And doesn't that signal that even if we don't agree with the voices of the likes of King Creosote it's better to know what a performer actually thinks? What we've also got to consider is that most people who complain about an artist's expression of their views are just upset because they don't agree with their own. So, let's hear the voices from the ends of the spectrum.
