Jane Fonda, 82, looks incredible as Vanity Fair Italia and US join forces for America Year Zero

Jane Fonda looked incredible as she posed on the front cover of Vanity Fair Italia and Vanity Fair US’ first ever America Year Zero special issue.

The actress, 82, who been an activist and change maker on many issues from politics to climate change, is the face of the issue focused on the United States on the eve of the Nov 3 presidential election – marking the first time the  magazines have joined forces.

The Barbarella star cut an elegant figure in a a black ruffled sweater and matching crimped skirt, paired with a tan leather belt as she walked in a field.

She layered up in a slate grey tailored blazer and sported a radiant palette of make-up. 

Vanity Fair Italia, headed up by editor-in-chief Simone Marchetti, along with US editor-in-chief Radhika Jones and the American editorial team have produced an issue focused on the changes and issues affecting the United States, 

Jane reflects on her activism over the years, from the rallies against the Vietnam war to the environmental struggles in front of the White House during her Fire Drill Fridays, inspired by Greta Thunberg. 

The star also muses on candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump and on the challenges that any President will have to face after the vote.   

Fonda, who’s been arrested on multiple occasions in recent history due to her protesting on the issue of climate change, helped to establish Fire Drill Fridays in conjunction with GreenPeace last year.

The charity is a ‘weekly protest standing up to the climate crisis in collaboration with scientists, movement leaders’ and regular people, according to the GreenPeace website.

Recently, the initiative has also included racial justice issues as part of the action items being addressed, as seen on the organization’s Instagram page. 

Back in June, the two-time Oscar winner appeared in discussion with CNN‘s Don Lemon on Sunday, during which time she touched upon the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the hands of the police, as well as racism in general and her own sense of white privilege.

A fervent critic of Donald Trump, Fonda also called out his administration as one that has enabled situations such as this to arise.

‘When Donald Trump was elected, and the bandaid was torn off,’ Jane said, ‘people could see very blatantly the racism in this country that’s always been there.   

‘But it was revealed in a new and more robust way to us,’ she continued, ‘and then encouraged by this administration, I think a lot of white people “got it.” 

‘And maybe [they were] like me,’ Fonda added. ‘I realized that I didn’t understand enough about the history of racism.’  

Later, the Grace And Frankie star also commented specifically on white privilege, and the broken systems that she feels perpetuate racism in this country. 

‘Because we’re white, we have had privilege, even the poorest of us have had privilege,’ she shared with Lemon. 

‘We need to recognize that, and we have to understand what it is that keeps racism in place — the policies, redlining, banking policies, mortgage policies. All of the things that are really making it very, very difficult for black people to lift themselves up.’        

Radhika said of the America Year Zero issue: ‘When Simone asked me and the Vanity Fair U.S. team to help edit an issue about America in 2020, we jumped at the chance. 

‘We report on the politics, celebrity, entertainment, and technology that drive our culture every day. 

‘But collaborating with Vanity Fair Italia, which has been doing such powerful and moving work this year, has helped us crystallize our own thoughts about what America represents and where it is headed.’  

Radhika offers a portrait of her native city New York, while writers Daniel Duane and Ta-Nehisi Coates explore issues such as  climate change and social conflict which have dominated this year’s presidential race.

Daniel details how and why the fires that are devastating California originated and in what ways scientists can fight them, while Ta-Nehisi focuses on the social conflicts that gave life to Black Lives Matter and the creation of an antiracist majority whose aim is to create a more inclusive world.

Seven visionary individuals who have been key figures in the BLM movement are also profiled, which include film director Ava Duvernay, writer Colson Whitehead and journalist Isabel Wilkerson.

Vanity Fair US’ critic Richard Lawson also  asks if a former reality star has managed to become the President of the United States, – how much importance do Hollywood stars have in the country’s life at the time of Covid-19? 

The America Year Zero issue by Vanity Fair US and Vanity Fair Italia is out on Wednesday, October 21.