Jane Fonda reveals why she refuses to retire at 85 and it's the pro-aging positivity we all need to hear

Jane Fonda has revealed that she has no plans to retire from acting at 85, proving once again that there's reason to quit your passions after a certain age.  

The Grace and Frankie actor may be one of Hollywood's older stars, but that doesn't mean her glow is even close to fading. 

Fonda has been a household name in TV and movies for over six decades, having first graced the silver screen all the way back in 1960 with her role in Tall Story. Since then, she's appeared in over 50 productions and earned a bounty of prestigious accolades, including two Academy Awards for her performances in Klute (1971) and Coming Home (1979). If that wasn't impressive enough, she's also released dozens of home workout videos and established herself as a human rights and political activist.

Last year, Fonda revealed she had cancer, taking to Instagram to tell her devout fanbase that she had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She has since announced she is in remission from the disease, having completed her final round of chemotherapy in November. 

Having overcome cancer after such an industrious career, it would be understandable if Fonda, now 85, was ready to step back from the limelight. However, it appears that the Cecil B. DeMille Award recipient has no intention of retiring anytime soon. 

Speaking at the Los Angeles premiere of her new film, 80 For Brady, on Tuesday, Fonda revealed that she believes her skills have only improved with age. 

"I think, as you get older, you get better at almost everything. I love my work more than ever," she said, according to The Telegraph. Fonda is joined in 80 For Brady by Puerto Rican actor Rita Moreno, who also shared her thoughts on being an older female actor in 2022.

"It’s really about a frame of mind," the 91-year-old said. "And not believing all that bullsh*t about getting old." 

Fonda added that she feels "lucky" to be "old at a time when older people, mostly women, are the fastest-growing demographic in the world." 

"Entertainment is a business and it has this market that it needs to feed."

Speaking about the casting for 80 For Brady, which also stars Sally Field, Fonda said, "We’ve all stayed healthy and we were just there, ready - so who else are they gonna hire?”

This isn't the first time that the Barbarella star, who celebrated her 85th on December 21, has shared her positive perspective on aging with fans. Speaking with Andy Cohen on SiriusXM radio last July, Fonda said that 'women get better at sex' as they get older because they have grown to understand their needs. 

"We waste way too much time not wanting to say: ‘Wait a minute, hold it, hold it, no, no, no. Slow down, and a little to the left.’ We don’t want to do that," she said. "But when we get older, it’s like: 'No, I know what I want. Give me what I want.'”