Jane Fonda Honors Robert Redford at TCM Classic Film Festival, Warns of Merger Threat

On April 30 2026, Jane Fonda opened the 17th Annual TCM Classic Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre with a tribute to the late Robert Redford. The evening began with a screening of their 1967 comedy *Barefoot in the Park* and a conversation with TCM host Ben Mankiewicz. Fonda recalled meeting Redford on the set of *The Chase* (1966), describing their early interaction and noting a long-standing personal crush.

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Fonda and Redford co-starred in four films: *The Chase* (1966), *Barefoot in the Park* (1967), *The Electric Horseman* (1979), and *Our Souls at Night* (2017). Their partnership spanned five decades, with Fonda describing the *Electric Horseman* shoot as expanding from a planned two-month schedule to six months because Redford was habitually two to three hours late. Their final collaboration placed the two leads together in bed for most scenes, though Fonda emphasized that “nothing” transpired off-camera.

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• Jane Fonda – Actress, activist, festival presenter.

Hollywood Reporter

• Robert Redford – Late actor, founder of the Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival.

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• Turner Classic Movies (TCM) – Organizer of the Classic Film Festival.

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• Sundance Institute – Non-profit supporting independent filmmakers.

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• Paramount Pictures – Potential acquirer of Warner Bros. Discovery, a merger Fonda warned could undermine Sundance’s mission.

Hollywood Reporter

• 1966 – *The Chase* (first on-screen meeting).

Deadline Hollywood

• 1967 – *Barefoot in the Park* (festival opener).

Variety Magazine

• 1979 – *The Electric Horseman* (extended production).

Variety Magazine

• 2017 – *Our Souls at Night* (final film together).

Variety Magazine

• March 2026 – Oscars In Memoriam tribute to Redford featuring Barbra Streisand.

People Magazine

• April 30 2026 – Fonda’s festival tribute and comments on the pending Paramount/Warner Bros. merger.

Hollywood Reporter

Fonda cited that roughly 60 % of Sundance-supported filmmakers are women and that the institute has nurtured numerous directors of color. She also noted Redford’s personal financing: “He could have built an empire and instead he built a nest for artists… He paid out of his own pocket every year.”

Deadline Hollywood

Fonda argued that the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. consolidation threatens the independent-film ecosystem that Sundance protects. She warned that “we’re going to lose what Bob was trying to do” if the merger proceeds, framing the issue as a fight for diversity, nuance, and artistic safety.

Hollywood Reporter

Fonda praised Redford’s artistic integrity, his commitment to independent cinema, and his refusal to commercialize Sundance. She also acknowledged his chronic tardiness, noting that it prolonged *The Electric Horseman* shoot. Regarding the Oscars tribute, she clarified that her earlier comment about Barbra Streisand was intended as humor and expressed admiration for the performance of “The Way We Were.” Her remarks on the merger were met with applause from the festival audience.

People Magazine

Fonda highlighted Redford’s habit of arriving two to three hours late as a professional shortcoming. She also voiced opposition to the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, suggesting it would erode the independent-film infrastructure that Redford championed.

Deadline Hollywood

Sources differ on Redford’s first feature film: IMDb listings cite an uncredited role in *Tall Story* (1960) as his debut, while several interview excerpts treat *The Chase* (1966) as his first major appearance. No source provided definitive confirmation of the exact chronology.

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• “I had such a crush on him it was painful,” — Jane Fonda

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• “We were both married, but I once asked him, ‘Do you ever have affairs?’ He had a weird answer. He said, ‘Well, if I was going to have an affair, it would be to somebody that was, like, a hooker.’” — Jane Fonda

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• “He could have built an empire and instead he built a nest for artists. He could have asked Hollywood for money and he never did. He paid out of his own pocket every year,” — Jane Fonda

Deadline Hollywood

• “When I look at what’s happening in this town — when I look at the pending mergers, for example, if that goes through — we’re going to lose what Bob was trying to do. I want to fight in the spirit of Robert Redford.” — Jane Fonda

Hollywood Reporter

• “the most gorgeous human being I had ever been with.” — Jane Fonda

Hollywood Reporter

The TCM Classic Film Festival runs through May 3, featuring additional guests such as Alexander Payne and Glenn Close. Industry observers will watch regulatory reviews of the Paramount-Warner Bros. deal, which could reshape the financing landscape for independent cinema.

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