Los Angeles (California) [US], February 24 (ANI): At the 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday night, acting legend Jane Fonda delivered a powerful speech after receiving the prestigious Life Achievement Award.

Acknowledging Hollywood's influence on society, Fonda urged her peers to fight the political and social challenges of today with empathy.

'What we, actors, create is empathy. Our job is to understand another human being so profoundly that we can touch their souls,' Fonda said, emphasizing the importance of understanding others' perspectives in a polarized world, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

She went on to redefine the term 'woke,' and said, 'And make no mistake, empathy is not weak or woke. By the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people.'

Fonda's remarks resonated deeply with the current political climate, as she referenced the Trump administration's budget cuts that threatened federal jobs.

'A whole lot of people are going to be really hurt by what is happening,' she said, adding, 'Even if they're of a different political persuasion, we need to not judge but listen from our hearts,' as per The Hollywood Reporter.

The 87-year-old actress, known for her storied career spanning over six decades in Hollywood, also spoke about the significance of unions like SAG-AFTRA.

'I'm a big believer in unions. They have our backs. They bring us into community, and they give us power. Community means power, and this is really important right now when workers' power has been attacked and community is being weakened,' she said.

Fonda's remarkable career includes roles in iconic films such as 'Klute', 'Coming Home', '9 to 5', 'Grace & Frankie', and '80 for Brady'.

She is a two-time Academy Award winner, a Golden Globe and Emmy Award recipient, and a passionate advocate for civil rights, gender equality, and the global climate crisis.

Julie Louis-Dreyfus, who presented Fonda with the Life Achievement Award, described her as a woman whose 'life on and off the screen has simply been epic,' as per The Hollywood Reporter.

Louis-Dreyfus joked about Fonda's boundless energy, and said, 'For the love of God! Slow down, Jane. You're making us all look like shit.'

Fonda, who was the 60th recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award, shared reflections on her unconventional career. 'I've had a really weird career totally unstrategic,' she joked.

'I retired for 15 years and came back at 65, which is not usual. I made one of my most successful movies in my 80s. And probably in my 90s, I'll be doing my own stunts in an action movie,' she said.

Fonda also shared insights about how acting gave her a platform to express her opinions and anger, especially as a woman growing up in the '40s and '50s when women were discouraged from having strong voices.

'Acting gave me a chance to play angry women with opinions, which, you know, is a bit of a stretch for me,' she quipped, evoking laughter from the audience.

As an activist, Fonda has long been vocal on issues such as the anti-war movement, civil rights, and climate change.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, in 2019, she was arrested five times for protesting outside the US Capitol to demand action on fossil fuel consumption.

She also recalled the resistance against McCarthyism, drawing parallels to today's political struggles. 'I made my first movie in 1958. It was at the tail end of McCarthyism when so many careers were destroyed. Today, it's helpful to remember, though, that Hollywood resisted.'

She encouraged those in attendance to consider their role in shaping history.

'Have any of you ever watched a documentary of one of the great social movements -- apartheid or civil rights or Stonewall -- and ask yourself, would you have been brave enough to walk the bridge? We don't have to wonder anymore. We are in our documentary moment. This is it, and it's not a rehearsal,' she said as per The Hollywood Reporter.

Fonda's stirring speech concluded with a message of hope and resilience, 'On the other side, there will still be love, there will still be beauty, and there will be an ocean of truth for us to swim in.'

But she also warned that the challenges ahead are serious, urging the audience to remain united, help the vulnerable, and project an inspiring vision for the future. (ANI)