Jane Fonda, who we all know as the evil mother that gives Jennifer Lopez hell in Monster-in-Law, is one of the most versatile people in entertainment. She is a fitness instructor, philanthropist, actress, and much more. Her father raised her after her mother killed herself in a mental asylum. Fonda did not let this tragedy stop her from pursuing her career and at age 17 she co-starred in a few low-budget films. She got married to Roger Vadim, who reduced her self-esteem, and encouraged threesomes with random women. Fonda decided enough was enough and divorced Vadim to continue her acting career.
On this day, February 7th, in 1961, Jane Fonda debuts in NBC’s drama A String of Beads as Gloria Winters. This show opened many more doors for Fonda such as leading roles in films like Sunday in New York, Joy House, and Circle of Love. Her career did not stop there; she was nominated for Best Actress for her performance in They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Although she did not win the Academy Award at that time, she won Best Actress for another film called Klute.
Jane Fonda retired in 1992 because she was not happy with herself as a woman and she found it hard to be creative with her agony. After 15 years of rehabilitation, Fonda returned to the big screen as the star actress of Monster-in-law. She later wrote a memoir that analyzes her controversial life and her insecurities.