Jane Fonda ‘Hates’ That She Needed Plastic Surgery To Feel Beautiful But Won’t ‘Cut’ Herself Up Anymore

Jane Fonda looked timeless as she closed out the 2020 Oscars, but she hasn’t always had an easy time with her self-image. In Jane Fonda’s 2018 HBO documentary, Jane Fonda in Five Acts, the actress confessed her complicated history with plastic surgery and self-acceptance.

“I’m glad I look good for my age, but I’ve had plastic surgery… On one level, I hate the fact that I’ve had the need to alter myself physically to feel that I’m okay,” she said:

“I wish I wasn’t like that… I wish I was braver. But I am what I am.”

Now she is finally saying goodbye to plastic surgery. In a new interview with Elle Canada, Fonda said, “I can’t pretend that I’m not vain, but there isn’t going to be any more plastic surgery–I’m not going to cut myself up anymore.”

Jane Fonda, Roger Vadim (1965), (Archive Photos/Archive Photos via Getty Images)

From time to time, we see an example of unfaded beauty that provides us all with the optimism and inspiration we need. Jane Fonda is one of these examples, not only physically but also spiritually—she is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. However, the world cinema star does possess knowledge about beauty and aging that she is willing to share with us all. And while some of it is related to exterior beauty, some of it also applies to what’s on the inside.

In a 2019 interview with Vogue, Fonda was open about some of the many health scares she’s endured in her 83 years. From cancer to her mastectomy and osteoporosis, she did speak of a powerful sentiment that perhaps provides some insight into how she manages to keep on going at her age. She said:

“I didn’t think I’d ever ever live this long—or feel that I’m whole or getting whole. I feel very intentional about realizing that it’s up to me how this last part of my life goes.”

Fonda’s decision seemed as though it didn’t come to her lightly, and she then continued to confess how her own insecurities play into her self perception:

“I have to work every day to be self-accepting. It doesn’t come easy to me.”

In her documentary, Jane commented on how she loved “older faces.” She went on to name examples saying, “I love lived-in faces. I loved Vanessa Redgrave’s face.” Redgrave is just one year older than Fonda, but yet Fonda has said that it hasn’t been easy for her to accept the reality of her own aging.

Jane Fonda (2018), (Caroline McCredie/Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images)

Fonda admits to having had face-lifts and breast implants–which she later removed–as well as work around her jawline and eyes. In Five Acts, Fonda says, “I got tired of looking tired when I wasn’t.”

In Fonda’s interview, she said that she tries to put forward honesty and has attempted to use social media in the same honest way.

“I post pictures of me looking haggard,” Fonda told Elle, “and once with my tooth out! This is a fake tooth! It came out in a restaurant in Portugal, and I posted it.” The photo can be seen on Joan’s blog about her first trip to Portugal.

Fonda is also a spokeswoman for L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect. In regards to her campaign, Fonda said, “They chose me not in spite of my age but because of my age.”

“They are committed to the idea that beauty is not simply in the young and model-perfect but in all people regardless of ethnicity or age.”

The star opened up to Grazia about her skin in 2021 and said, “Skin is very important.”

She added, “It’s important as a movie star. You can get rid of a lot of wrinkles and things with good lighting, but still, it’s really important for any woman, whether she’s a movie actor or not, to take care of her skin. To keep it clean and moist.”

She doesn’t just believe in her proper skin regime, the workout icon also stays plenty active to help aid in her beauty. She combines her regular workout regimen with great nutrition. The temperature of the skin is increased during exercise and this stimulates collagen production. This process helps to maintain the elasticity of the skin.

 Jane Fonda (2019), (Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images)

But it’s not just her beauty routine or workout routine, Fonda tries to live a life of low stress and full of gratitude. Not only does growing older not have to be a bad experience but it can also be quite beautiful. Fonda lives a life filled with optimism and feels this is one of the main components to remaining beautiful in her senior years.

The star revealed to Vogue in 2021 that she thinks the stigma around age and beauty needs to change drastically.

“We need to revise how we think about aging,” she said. “The old paradigm was: You’re born, you peak at midlife, and then you decline into decrepitude. Looking at aging as ascending a staircase, you gain wellbeing, spirit, soul, wisdom, the ability to be truly intimate and a life with intention.”

According to Fonda, the secrets to maintaining a youthful appearance and attitude are staying active, being positive, keeping good habits, caring for your hair, staying calm, and ensuring you get enough sleep. While these tips might seem obvious, we all know that it’s all too easy to fall off and forget about looking after ourselves, especially when life is busy. Her simple, no-nonsense guide is relatively easy to uphold and is a reminder that it’s important to take time out for ourselves, as it will have a ripple effect on the rest of our lives.

 Jane Fonda (2020), (RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images via Getty Images)

What do you think about Jane Fonda’s outlook on beauty as you age? Do you admire her honesty about her self-image? Let us know what inspires you about Fonda and pass this along to others so they can tell us what inspires them, too!