Veteran movie and TV star Jane Fonda will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award at this year’s Golden Globes.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced Tuesday morning that Fonda will be the latest recipient of the prestigious honor, joining the ranks of previous honorees Tom Hanks, Oprah Winfrey, Jodie Foster, Denzel Washington and Robin Williams. The 83-year-old actress and activist will accept the accolade during the 2021 ceremony, which airs Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda presents the award for best picture at the Oscars on Feb. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. Chris Pizzello/Associated Press, file

“For more than five decades, Jane’s breadth of work has been anchored in her unrelenting activism, using her platform to address some of the most important social issues of our time,” said HFPA President Ali Sar in a statement.

“Her undeniable talent has gained her the highest level of recognition, and while her professional life has taken many turns, her unwavering commitment to evoking change has remained. We are honored to celebrate her achievements at the 2021 Golden Globe Awards.”

A now-seven-time Golden Globe winner, Fonda previously has been recognized by the HFPA for her work in 1978’s “Coming Home,” 1977’s “Julia,” 1972’s “Klute” and 1960’s “Tall Story.” She also won the Academy Award for lead actress twice, for “Coming Home” and “Klute.”

On the TV side, Fonda’s hit Netflix series “Grace and Frankie” scored a Golden Globe nomination in 2016 for her longtime friend and costar Lily Tomlin. The sitcom, set to conclude with its upcoming seventh season, also has been nominated over the years for several Emmy Awards.

In addition to Fonda’s myriad onscreen credits, the HFPA is celebrating her activism behind the scenes on behalf of women, Indigenous communities, workers and the environment. Most recently, Fonda has become known for leading star-studded Fire Drill Fridays demonstrations urging lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to take action on climate change.

Clad in her signature fire engine-red coat, Fonda has been proudly arrested multiple times during her Fire Drill Fridays protests, which she brought to Los Angeles shortly before the COVID-19 lockdown. She has since been hosting regular virtual events with climate activists on social media amid the pandemic.

“I had no idea that this was going to happen,” Fonda told The Times last February of her environmental crusade. “It was an instinct. I may be famous and white and privileged, but when I feel a need for something, I find there’s usually a whole lot of people who feel the same need. … With Fire Drill Fridays, the rallies, the civil disobedience, the risking arrest appealed to a whole lot of people.”


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