Jane Fonda took on a supporting role before she found acting, working as a secretary when she found herself out of a job. In a 2023 interview on Dax Shepard and Monica Padman’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, Fonda touches on not being certain about her path prior to her acting pursuits. “I had been fired as a secretary, and I didn’t know what to do,” Fonda said. At this time, Fonda was living near Susan Strasberg, the daughter of legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg. Susan first suggested that Fonda try attending her father’s acting lessons. After this, Fonda said, “[Lee] interviewed me, and he took me into his classes. And then he told me I was talented, and that was it.” Fonda went on to say, “I had no intention of being an actor. I didn’t know what to do.”
Read Related Also: Mum pleads with driver to hand themselves in after kid hit by car
Previously, Fonda told The Hollywood Reporter in 2011 that, at that time, she “became a model to pay for acting class” with Strasberg. Through her studies with Lee, Fonda realized she’d discovered the job she was meant to do in life. “It was when Lee Strasberg saw me do my first scene and said to me, ‘You know, I see a lot of people coming through here. I just want to tell you something, Jane: you have real talent’ — when he said that to me, I knew what my calling was,” Fonda said. Following this impactful moment, Fonda has continued to win over moviegoers to this day.
