Beneath the shimmering veil of a glamorous Hollywood dynasty, a long-held family grudge threatens to expose the raw, unscripted narrative of their shared past.
Henry Fonda, an icon in Hollywood’s golden era, still holds a cherished place in the hearts of American moviegoers. Thus, when his daughter Jane Fonda publicly criticized him many years after his passing, the public backlash was swift and resounding.
During a frank interview, Jane Fonda voiced her grievances against her late father, the esteemed Oscar-winning actor, Henry Fonda. Her comments echoed with a palpable bitterness, “He never brought joy home. I never felt that he got joy… it never manifested when he came home, so it was not like ‘oh my God, I want what he’s got.'”
The renowned actress delved deeper into her journey into Hollywood, admitting she never aspired to be an actor in her younger years. “I didn’t think that I had talent,” she confessed. Jane’s candid revelations about her lack of self-belief and the absence of encouragement in her early years shed light on her struggle.
She yearned for someone to tell her, “Don’t give up, keep going, it’ll get better.” Her bleak outlook extended to her future prospects. She didn’t expect to live past 30 and hence, she learned not to take anything for granted.
Jane also touched upon her resilience in the face of adversity throughout her life in this interview. She has faced tragedies and hardships, but never allowed them to bring her down. “I’ve been resilient all my life,” she claimed.
In her later years, Jane prioritized health and fitness, claiming, “That’s what makes me seem younger than my numerical age is because I’m healthy. And I have good posture!”
Her father, Henry Fonda, was deeply adored by Americans, partly because of his strong patriotic sentiment. He enlisted in the United States Navy to serve in World War II, preferring to fight in a real war rather than a “fake war in a studio.”
His dedication took him from being a Quartermaster 3rd Class on the destroyer USS Satterlee to being commissioned as a Lieutenant Junior Grade in Air Combat Intelligence in the Central Pacific. He received the Bronze Star Medal and Navy Presidential Unit Citation, later serving three years in the Naval Reserve.
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Jane’s criticism of her father didn’t sit well with many who revered the late actor. The public backlash was immediate and severe. Critics took to social media to express their disapproval of Jane’s comments. One critic retorted, “I can’t imagine what joy you brought home to him. I suspect…NONE!” Others chastised Jane for her infamous acts during the Vietnam War, labeling her as “traitorous” and “unforgivable.”
Surprisingly, Henry Fonda was a registered Republican in his early years, contrary to Jane’s strong liberal stance. This revelation came as a shock to both Jane and her late brother, Peter, when they found a voter I.D. in their father’s old wallet. However, Henry shifted his political allegiance to the Democrats in 1933, publicly supporting John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign in 1960.
In a separate interview, Jane shared a tender moment of reconciliation with her father just before his death. She expressed her forgiveness for “whatever didn’t happen” and hoped he would forgive her for not being a “better daughter.” Although Henry didn’t respond verbally, his tears conveyed a powerful message.
Jane emphasized the importance of resolving issues with loved ones before they pass away. Undeterred by the prospect of death, she stated, “You know, I’m not scared of dying. It’s an adventure. I kind of, you know, I don’t want to go, I still have a lot to do.”
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Sources: Taphaps, Daily Mail, People Magazine