A Candid Interview With Jane Fonda
— -- Jane Fonda says she has spent her life trying to please men. She was recently officially divorced from her last husband, media tycoon Ted Turner, and says now that she is by herself, she finally feels whole.
As a child she used to "tie herself in pretzels," trying to be what her famous movie actor father wanted. Her first husband, French director Roger Vadim, transformed her into the sexy Barbarella. Then in 1972 she divorced Vadim for political activist Tom Hayden. She was outspoken herself and was by his side at every rally. After Hayden, she surprised everyone by settling down with media mogul Ted Turner.
She says Turner helped her find her own voice and move on. She got involved in public service, and founded the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, which tries to reduce the high rates of teen pregnancy in the state. Last year Fonda traveled to Nigeria to make a film aimed at stopping the barbaric practice of female genital mutilation.
Fonda sat down with Barbara Walters on 20/20 and talked about her breakup with Turner, how she found her own voice, and her involvement in the benefit performance of The Vagina Monologues.
Last Man
BARBARA WALTERS:You married Ted Turner — a very strong, seemingly macho guy. You, this liberal, activist. Most people were surprised at this marriage. Yet, you say you found your voice in that marriage?
JANE FONDA: In spite of him. [LAUGHTER] Oh, yeah. I did. He he gave me a tremendous amount of support and space. And you know, I am not sure he was too happy that I kind of grew up and healed. And he needed me?
WALTERS:OK. And you have even been quoted as saying, "Wherever Ted goes, I go." And people began to say about you — that Jane — has become "the little woman." Were you?
FONDA: The rap on me, looks awfully true. I have become whatever the man wants me to be. And, to some extent, it's true. But then, there is an internal me that continued to get re-potted so that I continued to grow.
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