One of Fonda’s earliest films, Barefoot In The Park is a spikey romcom adapted from a play by Neil Simon. Fonda plays Corie, a bold, fun-loving young woman who has recently married Paul, a buttoned-up lawyer, played by a swoon-worthy Robert Redford. The pair trade barbs before finally settling their own version of marital bliss in their dinky, leaky new flat. It’s a total delight to watch.

Barbarella is still something of a pop culture phenomenon. The 1968 sci-fi comedy stars Fonda as a space traveller who represents the United Earth government. It’s whacky, cheesy, silly and, of course, a little dated – but naturally, Fonda still manages to be completely charming. It’s easy to see why the performance set her up for many more leading roles.

This Sydney Pollack psychological drama received a staggering nine Oscar nominations, including Fonda’s first best actress nod. She plays Gloria Beatty, a world-weary, tough young woman living in the Depression era who finds herself competing in a dance marathon. It’s one of the darkest, heaviest roles in her early career and one that instantly marked her out as one to watch.

In 1971, Fonda won her first Oscar for her starring role in Klute. As Bree Daniels, Fonda transformed into a high-priced sex worker who is given a surprising amount of power and agency for a film from the 70s. Starring alongside the likes of Donald Sutherland and Roy Scheider, Fonda is the most mesmerising person on screen. A total must-watch for Fonda fans.

Jane Fonda once again proved herself a natural match for Neil Simon’s witty writing in 1978’s California Suite. The film sets the scene at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Oscars night, where we watch a number of couples bicker and spar in the most wonderful ways. Fonda’s character finds herself at odds with her husband, played by Alan Alda, about how they should raise their daughter. Maggie Smith and Michael Caine also star in the film, giving equally mesmerising performances. 

If you haven’t seen 9 To 5, stop what you’re doing and go watch it right now. Fonda stars alongside Dolly Parton and Lily Tomlin as office workers who have had enough of gender politics in the workplace and kidnap their male boss. 

It may be over 40 years old, but it remains a true feminist masterpiece. As Fonda herself told Stylist a few years ago, the film remains as relevant as ever. “We hoped sexual harassment would be reduced, but it took over 30 years before the #MeToo movement exploded – even though African American women had been talking about it much longer. We haven’t made much progress on pay equity. Men being promoted even though women have seniority – we hoped that would change,” she said. “The movie meant the female office workers’ problems still had to be solved, but at least people knew what they were.”

Yes, this romcom is silly and seriously dated in that early 00s way, but there’s no denying that Fonda is still just as delightful as you would expect her to be. She plays Viola, a mother-in-law-to-be who takes it upon herself to make her son’s girlfriend’s (Jennifer Lopez) life a living hell. Watch it with a grain of salt and enjoy.

From 2015 until 2022, Fonda starred as Grace Hanson in Grace And Frankie – and if she wasn’t already an icon, this show more than solidified her status as one of the Hollywood greats. The uproariously funny show about rivals who discover their husbands are in love is the ultimate comfort watch, and it will always leave you laughing out loud.