Jane Fonda Reunites With Activist Pal Six Years After Their Joint Arrest

Jane Fonda continues to live her best life in her 80s!

The Hollywood icon, who recently declared she feels better than she did in her 20s, recently linked up with a longtime friend, Catherine Keener, for a date. The pair made waves in 2019 during the famous Fire Drill Fridays campaign.

When she isn't making waves as an actress, Jane Fonda turns heads as an activist. She has been arrested multiple times for standing by her beliefs, including during her climate change protests with Catherine Keener.

Fonda's reunion with Keener made waves on Thursday, June 19, as the paparazzi captured them in high spirits. The longtime pals enjoyed lunch at Funke, the Italian hotspot in Beverly Hills, and were photographed leaving the establishment while holding hands.

For their lunch date, Fonda looked radiant in a red silk blouse and tailored pants with her silver hair styled in elegant waves. She accessorized with a beaded necklace and black bag while Keener rocked a similar formal fit.

The pals, per The Daily Mail, ended their reunion with a warm hug before parting ways. The outing follows Fonda’s declaration about herself early this month, claiming she felt as vibrant in her 80s as she did in her 20s. She claimed she did not feel like her age, saying:

“People have so many stereotypes of older people. I'm 87, and I feel younger and healthier and a greater sense of well-being than I had in my 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s.”

Deadline covered Fonda and Keener's joint arrest in 2019, reporting the women were among the 46 people slammed with handcuffs for protesting in the atrium of the Hart Senate Office building.

The demonstrators pushed lawmakers to become more proactive about climate change, dubbing their weekly protests the Fire Drill Fridays.

Ira Arlook, spokesman for Fire Drill Fridays, revealed Fonda would spend the night in prison, unlike the others, because the incident marked her fourth arrest in four weeks. The “Monster-in-Law” star was arrested each week the demonstrations were held, but that never stopped.

Fonda even told reporters hours before her arrest that she suspected she would spend the night in prison, given her past three arrests. However, the idea did not faze her and she welcomed it positively, saying:

“I was told that if I got arrested before my court date, I would probably go to jail. One night. Big deal.”

During the Fire Drill Fridays campaign, Fonda was arrested during the first two weeks but released with a fine. Her third arrest sparked a court hearing while the fourth saw her spending the night the prison. The demonstrations were partly inspired by activist Greta Thunberg, whose calls for change moved Fonda.

The Hollywood veteran was so touched by Thunberg's efforts to push lawmakers for more sustainable living that she temporarily moved to Washington to participate in the protests. Fonda also declared that the red coat she wore during the demonstrations would be the last outfit she ever bought.

“I grew up when consumerism didn’t have such a stranglehold over us…We don’t really need to keep shopping. We shouldn’t look to shopping for our identity. We just don’t need more stuff. Then I have to walk the talk, so I am not buying any more clothes,” Fonda claimed.

Although her activism has landed Fonda on the wrong side of the law, these incidents did not affect her image as an entertainer. The Blast reported that the actress became the 60th recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award at the annual ceremony early this year.

The memorable moment went viral thanks to Fonda's powerful acceptance speech, where she reflected on her illustrious career. She declared that she was not done as an actress and dubbed herself “a late bloomer” for taking a 15-year retirement before making a major comeback at 65.

True to her activist core, Fonda also reminded the audience about the importance of the labor union, saying: “SAG-AFTRA is different than most other unions because us, the workers, we don’t manufacture anything tangible. What we create is empathy.”

Two years before receiving her honor at the SAG Awards, Fonda had gotten candid about her 15-year retirement from the entertainment industry. The Blastshared that she confessed she left after marrying Ted Turner because she thought their union would last forever.

Fonda announced her retirement after three decades in the industry in 1991 following her union with the CNN founder. However, she eventually realized that quitting was not the path for her and returned in 2005.

During the interview, the sensational actress claimed she never believed she would still be acting in her 80s. “So I feel very lucky,” she added about her triumphant comeback. Fonda also enjoyed an incredible health milestone before her 85th birthday in 2023 when her cancer entered remission.

She announced the fantastic news on social media, telling fans that her ordeal with non-Hodgkin lymphoma was nearly over.

What will Jane Fonda achieve next?