It’s exactly 20 years since Jane Fonda first became one of L’Oréal Paris’s ‘Worth It’ women, and she’s as iconic as ever at 88. Sheathed in skin-tight black shimmer to open the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on behalf of the beauty brand, the actress is still looking every slinky inch the workout queen.
So how does she do it? There’s a delicious glint in her eye when we pose the question on a video chat, dialling into Jane’s suite at the glitzy Martinez Hotel.
‘I do the same things I used to, but slowly,’ she says, outlining her fitness regime. ‘It’s like sex. Slower. Everything is better when it’s slower.’
Jane’s gentle delights these days are focused on practicality as well as pleasure. ‘I work out pretty regularly and I walk a lot and it’s very important,’ she says. ‘Moving is more important when you’re older than when you’re younger.’
‘I’m 88, so it means the difference between taking two minutes to get into a car or 10 minutes. And you want to be able to look over your shoulder when you’re backing a car up. You want to carry your own bags.’
And there’s a lot going on in her life she needs to be fit and strong for. Beyond the glitzy red carpet moments, she’s an activist and feminist champion, and also about to return, as star and producer, to her first Hollywood project in several years. Here’s the quickfire Jane Fonda guide to feeling fabulous, finding confidence and letting go of fear.
Congratulations on your 20 years as a L’Oréal Paris ambassador. What does feeling ‘worth it’ mean to you now versus then?
I didn’t have very much confidence 20 years ago. I remember the first commercials that I did back then, and I just kept thinking, “Why did they want me? I’m not good at this.” And I’m still not good, really. I’m an actor, I’m not a model. But I watch these women that are the brand ambassadors, how they move, how they put makeup on, and they have taught me so much, without even knowing that they were doing it. I’ve gained confidence from them. I love them all.
How has your relationship with beauty changed as you’ve grown older?
I lived in France for nine years and you can’t live in France and not get over the idea that beauty ends at a certain age. French women are the most beautiful, they’re not afraid of getting old. So that was a big learning experience for me – embracing ageing, learning to overcome the fear of ageing.
Was getting older something that used to frighten you?
Yes, because I was brought up to believe that everything depended on how you looked. You had to be thin, you had to be beautiful, you had to be perfect or you wouldn’t be loved. And getting over that was very important and it took time. L’Oréal, and the other women working for them here in France, helped me with getting over that feeling.
What have you replaced that fear with?
I think what I’ve learned along the way is that beauty is more than just perfect here [the face]. Beauty is confidence, beauty is intelligence, beauty is caring about people. All of this comes through when a person really cares about other people, and that creates its own beauty. And this is something that I’ve grown more confident in.
Is that inner beauty something you see when you look in the mirror now?
I don’t necessarily see it, but I feel it.
Do you enjoy playing with glamorous looks on the red carpet?
No. I never did and I don’t now. But it’s part of life if you’re a movie actor and you’ve been successful. It’s part of what you have to learn to do. And so I fake it ’til I make it. But you know I think a lot of it’s je m’en fous. I don’t really care anymore so much. There’s a confidence that can only come with age, I think.
Does your beauty regime help you feel your confident best self?
What L’Oréal has taught me is the importance of moisturiser. I never used to do it. My mother died when I was very young, and I really didn’t have anybody to teach me. I used to go to bed with my makeup on. I didn’t know that that was bad for you. Plus, I was always in the sun, so that was bad for my skin. So now I make sure that my skin is moisturised and L’Oréal’s Age Perfect Golden Age is very good for that. And their purple shampoo, too. When I started using it, I thought, “Oh my god, it makes your hair shine!” It’s wonderful.
L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Golden Age Cream SPF20
L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Golden Age Cream SPF20
L'Oreal Paris Elvive Colour Protect Anti-Brassiness Purple Shampoo
L'Oreal Paris Elvive Colour Protect Anti-Brassiness Purple Shampoo
Your hair is such a signature, when did you decide to embrace grey?
I was making the TV series Grace And Frankie, and I just decided that I wanted to be natural. I wanted to stop. It takes so long and it costs so much money, and so I said to the writer, “I’m going to go grey, so Grace should go grey.” And so we made it part of the script. I am so happy that I did, because my hair is healthier. You never know what colour your grey is going to be but I got lucky, it’s really nice. So I feel very good about it.
What’s the one self-care practice you swear by most?
Get enough sleep! I sleep seven, eight hours every night and when I don’t sleep, I’m very unhappy.
Finally, you’re returning to acting for the first time in a few years. How are you feeling about that?
I took time off because I’m an activist essentially more than anything. I took time off because of the politics – we need to be doing that in America right now, we’re in big trouble. So now this book, The Correspondent, came to my attention and I’m producing and starring in it. And I feel like I was born to play this woman. I understand her, I love her, I love the book. It’s all about the complexities and beauties of an older woman. So it’s going to be wonderful.
Jane Fonda is a brand ambassador for L’Oréal Paris, the official makeup partner for Cannes Film Festival. Jane is a supporter of the L’Oréal Paris Lights On Women’s Worth Award
