Academy Award-winning actor, producer, author and activist Jane Fonda will deliver the keynote address at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism’s 2025 commencement ceremony on May 16.
With a career spanning more than 50 years, Fonda has used the power of communication as a tool for deeper human connection. The two-time Academy Award winner has starred in more than 50 films while making significant contributions to advancing causes such as women’s rights, Native Americans’ rights and climate action. Most recently, Fonda received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award and the TIME Magazine Earth Award.
“Through the compelling characters she brings to life on screen and the bold actions she takes for the causes she believes in, Jane Fonda challenges us to see the world more clearly — its flaws, its strengths and our role in shaping a better future,” USC Annenberg Dean Willow Bay said. “She reminds us that communication — whether through storytelling, advocacy or dialogue — is an essential catalyst for positive change, and inspires our Class of 2025 to use their voices with purpose.”
In what she calls her “Third Act,” Fonda is driven by a sense of urgency and responsibility to protect the future of the planet through her work on climate awareness and justice. She started Fire Drill Fridays, a national movement to protest government inaction on climate change, in partnership with Greenpeace USA. In addition, she launched the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, focused on defeating political allies of the fossil fuel industry. Her New York Times-bestselling book, What Can I Do?: The Truth About Climate Change and How to Fix It, details her personal journey with the movement and provides solutions for communities to combat the climate crisis.
Fonda has also focused her philanthropic efforts on social justice and gender equality. She co-founded the Women’s Media Center to raise the visibility, viability and decision-making power of women and girls in media, and established the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power & Potential to promote youth health and education, raising $1 million to mark her 85th birthday.
Fonda’s film and TV roles have challenged societal norms, giving voice to complex, empowered women in stories that reflect and shape cultural conversations. From Klute and Coming Home to Grace and Frankie, her performances have tackled issues like feminism, war, aging, and personal resilience. She is a seven-time Golden Globe winner and was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2021. She accepted the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.
USC Annenberg’s past speakers have included global media leader Oprah Winfrey; tennis legend Billie Jean King; founder of culinary brand Momofuku David Chang; media innovator and entrepreneur Maverick Carter; former First Lady of California and journalist Maria Shriver; television pioneer Norman Lear; and anchor for Univision and Fusion Jorge Ramos.
The USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism will honor nearly 1,000 candidates for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in communication, journalism, public diplomacy and public relations. USC Annenberg’s commencement ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. at the Shrine Auditorium.