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News crews and esteemed fans gathered around the forecourt of the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly known as Grauman’s Theatre and Mann’s Theatre) early Saturday morning to honor two-time Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda.
Among the guests were her brother Peter Fonda, her son Troy Garity (Gangster Squad), Jim Carrey, Desperate Housewives’ Eva Longoria, Maria Shriver and Fonda’s Nine to Five costar Lily Tomlin.
The hand and footprint ceremony commenced with an opening speech from TCM host, Robert Osbourne, followed by Garity, Tomlin and Shriver.
Garity took the stand and spoke about his late grandfather and his relationship with his legendary mother.
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“Being able to put my hand in his print really offered a wonder connection to him, and I realized that this is a great connection to the past and inspiration to the future.” The actor added, “And I really hope that one day my children will be able to put their hand in the print of their wonderful grandmother.”
Tomlin followed, and the comedian delivered her sentiments with a few punch lines.
“One of my favorite expressions of Jane’s is always, ‘well we just have to take a leap of faith’ and she’s taken so many that may be partially why she’s so fit.” The American actress added, “Throughout her entire life she’s been speaking words that needed to be said before most of us were ready to hear them… Jane has given us a kind of high definition picture of just how remarkable we human beings can be.”
Shriver trailed the Nine to Five actresses’ speech.
“I’m here because when it comes to a loving, loyal, truthful friend, she’s at the top of the heat. I’m here because I saw her navigate a famous family, a famous marriage, motherhood, activism career and came out whole.” The former first-lady of California added, “The truth is, like many of you, this is the only place I want to be at this moment in time.”
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After the build up of sentimental speeches, the woman of the hour took the podium in beige high-waisted trousers and a white long sleeve shirt accented with a leopard print scarf.
“I swear I was beginning to think that the only way Hollywood was going to give me this opportunity was if the city laid a new sidewalk in front of my house,” Fonda joked. “What is particularly meaningful to me is that I’m going to be right next to my dad right over there and I can feel his presence right now and he used to say to me, ‘Jane, don’t let this town walk all over you.’” The Hollywood star concluded, “Well dad, right now the town can walk all over both of us forever.”
After the long-awaited speech from the humbled entrepreneur, Fonda elegantly rolled her sleeves and kneeled over a velvet bench as she signed her cement block. The 75-year-old Hollywood mogul then enshrined her handprint in a fitting fashion in a unique way.
“I’m going to do something that’s not been done before,” Fonda announced. “I’m going to do the peace sign.”
Following the creative handprint, the multi-talented Hollywood actress plunged her 6-inch heels into the cement, preserving her shoeprint forever.
Fonda’s cement block will be placed right next to hand and footprints of her father Henry Fonda, the legendary silver screen actor who earned his spot on the Walk of Fame in 1942.
After the political activist and fitness guru enshrined her hand and footprints in Hollywood history, Fonda introduced a screening of the 1981 classic film On Golden Pond in the Egyptian Theater. In the film she co-starred with her father and the late Katharine Hepburn.
So what’s next for the renowned Jane Fonda? The living legend will play the role as Nancy Reagan in the upcoming movie The Butler scheduled to hit theaters this October.
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