Jane Fonda has social media buzzing after her confusing and seemingly uncomfortable appearance on the Screen Actors Guild Awards red carpet. At one point she even seemed annoyed, with an expert deeming the interaction as awkward.

On February 23, 2025, Jane Fonda was among the celebrities who attended the 31st Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. During her red-carpet interview, the 87-year-old actress appeared “confused” or “dazed,” which caught the attention of viewers.

Ahead of the ceremony, Fonda, who was honored with the 60th Lifetime Achievement Award at the event, was stopped by Netflix’s red-carpet host, Lilly Singh, for an interview. However, during the conversation, the actress seemed to struggle with her answers and stumbled over her words, raising concern among fans.

During the interview, Singh asked Fonda about her dress. She also inquired about what the actress enjoyed doing when she wasn’t acting and what advice she could offer to younger, aspiring stars.

Fonda responded with brief answers and even snapped at Singh, saying, “I never said that.” One publication noted that the star displayed low energy and enthusiasm throughout the awkward interaction.

Another source observed that her responses were clipped and that she appeared disinterested or slightly annoyed. Following the interview, a UK-based body language expert analyzed her concerning behavior.

Judi James, the expert, explained, “Despite being an iconic actress and a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award, her body language suggested she was deliberately holding back rather than embracing the moment.”

James continued, “Clutching her microphone tightly with both hands, Jane seemed hesitant to speak, offering little more than a curt ‘I don’t know’ in response to questions.” She further speculated, “When the interviewer attempted to prompt her, she firmly pushed back with, ‘Those were your words, not mine.'”

James suggested that Fonda’s initial behavior was “deliberate,” but noted that she seemed to “freeze up” and went “blank” as the interview progressed. The expert stated, “Long pauses followed each question, and at times, she appeared to glare or stare at the interviewer rather than engaging in conversation.”

James added, “The tension made for a ‘toe-curling interview.'” The expert described it as “one of the most uncomfortable red carpet moments of the night,” a sentiment shared by several netizens.

One person questioned, “Is it me or did Jane Fonda seem disoriented on the red carpet at the SAG-AFTRA Awards just now? She is always poised and well-spoken, but something seemed ‘off’ tonight.”

Someone else asked, “was anyone else EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE when jane fonda was being interviewed by lilly singh on the sag red carpet just now? it was so awkward and difficult to watch, jane looked like she wanted to be anywhere else. [sic]”

Another X user commented, “jane fonda giving the most hostile interview of all time on the #SAGAwardsOnNetflix is beautiful. [sic]” Someone else retweeted an X user who questioned, “Is anyone else just not feeling this Netflix red carpet show? The ton of these interviews is so awkward? [sic] Hmm #SAGAwardsOnNetflix.”

The person replied, “Agreed, but the celebrities aren’t exactly helping themselves. Jane Fonda was in a daze.” Using a GIF of a bored-looking person, another netizen shared, “Jane Fonda looks SPECTACULAR. But she is NOT having this aggressive, annoying interviewer one little bit #SAGAwards.”

Sharing the same sentiments, someone else remarked, “My girl Jane Fonda was not having it, what an awkward interview,” while another displeased person said, “that jane fonda interview was a hard watch, may lilly singh never touch a red carpet again. [sic]”

An X user complained, “oh this Jane Fonda Lily Singh interaction is making me cringe so bad. [sic]” A concerned person asked, “#SAGAwards Jane Fonda okay? Swaying, slow responses, labored breathing… scary to watch hope she’s okay #SaveGrace. [sic]”

Strangely, when Fonda was called on stage to receive her Lifetime Achievement Award, she seemed back to her old self as she made her thank you speech. She joked with the audience and shared that she still isn’t done with her career, although she is just a few years away from turning 90.

This isn’t the first time she’s had social media talking. A little over a year ago, the actress caused an online stir when she uploaded a joint photo of herself and Oprah Winfrey. The black-and-white image, featured in a new release of British Vogue magazine, showed Fonda and the media mogul posing together.

Besides the pair, the issue also highlighted various other powerful women in the entertainment industry. In the picture, the two celebrities walked arm-in-arm while looking straight at the camera.

What caught netizens’ attention was that Fonda was wearing a medical walking boot and using a cane for balance. One concerned person questioned, “What’s with the cane[?]” while another noted, “Poor Jane has a moon boot.”

A third Instagram user commented, “Jane with the Cane [sic] ain’t nothing to play around with.” However, another person noticed something entirely different, asking, “Am I the only one that’s noticing something wrong with their hands?”

Fortunately, Fonda hasn’t been secretive about her health struggles. In 2019, the 81-year-old “Book Club” star admitted that she has “had a lot of cancer.” The star also recalled an incident where she chose a specific outfit for the 2016 Golden Globe Awards due to a health condition.

She explained, “I get out of the car, and I have the strange white dress with all the ruffles? That’s because I’d just had a mastectomy, and I had to cover my bandages.”

Jane Fonda, who previously described her cancer diagnosis as “an ongoing process,” also shared that she lives with bodily aches and pains. She revealed that her condition is genetic, as her father and brother have also experienced it.

In the past, the mother of three also underwent surgeries to replace both her hips and one knee. During a 2022 interview while discussing her hit series, “Grace and Frankie,” with her co-star and fellow acting legend, Lily Tomlin, Fonda confirmed her replacement surgeries.

While discussing her heightened awareness of death, she said, “What bothers me is that my body is, you know, basically not mine. My knees are not mine, my hips are not mine, my shoulder’s not mine.”

Despite her health challenges and peculiar behavior on red carpets, she remains grateful for her life and her ability to continue working at her age. This gratitude has helped her come to terms with her physical limitations due to her ailing joints.