Big Lives Jane Fonda: Hollywood Rebel, War Activist and Fitness Pioneer

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Jane Fonda didn’t just change Hollywood; she rattled American politics, beauty standards, and the birth of modern fitness culture. Kai and Emmanuel dig into the BBC archives to trace how the Oscar-winning “nudie cutie” became a firebrand activist, conservative boogeyman, and unlikely fitness mogul. From the 1960s Barbarella sex symbol to “Hanoi Jane” to the  face of the VHS home workout revolution, we unravel the woman who kept reinventing herself — and became one of the most polarizing figures in American history.

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The Hosts

Emmanuel Dzotsi

Emmanuel Dzotsi is an award-winning journalist and podcast host. Over the last decade he’s reported stories on everything from backroom deals for political power, the strange phenomenon of white people…

Kai Wright

Kai Wright is an award-winning writer, editor, and podcast host. He was host, most recently, of WNYC’s Notes from America, which aired live each week on public radio stations around…