Jane Fonda predicts Aaron Sorkin's 'Newsroom' will be 'controversial'
HBO drama brings the Oscar-winning actress to series TV for the first time
Jane Fonda
From Oscar-winning film roles to pioneering fitness videos, Jane Fonda has tackled a lot in her career, but she's never attempted series television until now.
Fonda will soon be seen in a recurring role on Aaron Sorkin's heavily hyped HBO series "The Newsroom," and during an interview for her upcoming film "Peace, Love & Misunderstanding," Fonda briefly discussed what audiences can expect from the series and her role in it.
"It's just perfect television, it's absolutely brilliant," Fonda says. "I think it's going to have a huge impact on people and on the news and maybe on the election. It's going to be very controversial. I'm so proud to have a small role in it."
Her character, bigwig businesswoman Leona Lansing, first appears in episode three and Fonda says she'll be in three episodes total in the ten episode first season.
"The newsroom represents less than 3% of my [character's] annual profit, but it can make a lot of trouble for me," Fonda says. "I have companies in China and Canada... I know something about this!"
Yes, she did bring some of her intimate knowledge of media mogul and former husband Ted Turner with her to the role: "I drew from some of the personality traits of Ted, because he's really funny."
Fonda, who is very active in social media, also blogged about her experience on the show last month.
"The Newsroom" premieres Sunday, June 24 at 10 p.m. ET on HBO
Trending Now on HitFix Boards
| Topic | Started By | Latest Post | Replies |
|---|---|---|---|
| sepinwall |
5 days ago
|
1
|
|
| sepinwall |
8 days ago
|
12
|
|
| Discuss Scripted Dramas on HitFix Message Boards » | |||
News From Our Partners
-
'Star Trek' Baddie Benedict Cumberbatch Reveals Role's Biggest Challenge
Cannes Film Festival 2013: Our Must-See Movies
'Star Trek Into Darkness': The Secret Behind The Sounds
-
In Pictures: The Stars of Star Trek Into Darkness
Digital Multiplex: The Last Stand, Side Effects, and More
RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Ambitious, Time-Jumping Epic Cloud Atlas
-
What to Watch Tonight: The Season Finales of Arrow, CSI, and Supernatural
Grimm "The Waking Dead" Review: Dead On Arrival
CBS's 2013-2014 Season: New Nights for Person of Interest and Hawaii Five-0, More Comedy on Thursdays
-
Tolerability Index: This week we're barely putting up with The Killing
TV Roundtable: When My Boys tested its prickly chemistry by inviting some new faces to the poker table
The Walkthrough: The New Girl showrunners on topping season two’s big kiss (Part 5 of 5)
-
Demi Moore & Ashton Kutcher in $10M Tug of War
'Captain America: The Winter Soldier': Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie Spotted in D.C. (VIDEO)
Katie Holmes Attracts the Wrong Kind of Attention on 'Mania Days' Set
-
Hulu.com: 7 Things That Wouldn't Exist Without The Office
Larry Womack: In Defense of (the Original) James T. Kirk
'Storage Wars': Ivy Finds Giant Clam Shell
-
Best Alicia Keys Instagram Photos – Picture Perfect
Taylor Swift Fan Arrested for Swimming Near Her Rhode Island Beach House
Taylor Swift vs. Pink vs. Rihanna vs. Beyonce: Whose Tour Costume Do You Like Best? – Readers Poll
-
The Telefile - TNT & TBS Upfront 2013: Reaping What Other Networks Sowed
The Telefile - Fall TV 2013: What's On When
The Telefile - New Girl: Wedding Do's and Don'ts
Comments
Option 1
Comment instantly as a guest GuestOption 2
Option 3
Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupDave I
May 8, 2012 at 4:20PM EST Reply to CommentMy apologies to Aaron Sorkin in advance. I find it really hard to support anything Jane Fonda is a part of. I mean that not to hold a grudge, and I am not pro-war or anything, however her actions regarding the Vietnam War are despicable and still sour me to anything she touches.
-Cheers
Wozzaseds Can you watch and enjoy lethal weapon despite Mel gibson's recent troubles? Can you watch and appreciate Chinatown despite Polanski's past? Can you listen to lennon's music despite the fact he took cocaine/heroin and every other drug going. Can you read mayor of casterbridge and appreciate it's art despite the fact the hardy abused his wife? If no fair enough, otherwise get over it dude.
May 8, 2012 at 5:17PM ESTDave I Short answer? To some extent, no.
May 8, 2012 at 5:40PM ESTLonger answer, it depends. Lethal Weapon? I enjoyed it and I can sort of enjoy Gibson's work because I think he has mental issues. It is becoming harder to just wholeheartedly enjoy his work. Lennon, I like his stuff, I just think his drug use and weird personality was who he was. I do not see him doing drugs and post-Yoko stuff as being quite the same as what Fonda did. I have problems with how he treated his kids, so yes, that does effect me. I do not watch Polanski films precisely because of his past. Similar to reading something from Hardy. If I am aware the artist involved did objectionable things, then yes, it can effect my enjoyment of certain media. However, it also depends. If I watched Lethal Weapon before Mel Gibson's troubles, it is not necessarily the same. For that matter, I would not wholeheartedly avoid Newsroom because that might harm other actors NOT involved with labeling our troops liars. It still bothers me, and yes will probably keep me from actively seeking it out. I do not expect artists to be saints, however when they do stuff like what Fonda did, or worse what Polanski did, yes it keeps me from being able to go in and enjoy it.
Should I get over it? Sure. However, I find it really hard to ignore when people do legitimately terrible things and then go out and support their artistic endeavors. With Fonda in particular, my dad is a Vietnam vet and I have gotten to know a number of other vets. So it means a little more to me than to somebody who does not know people those statements impacted in the manner they did.
-Cheers