Jane Fonda has relaunched the Committee for the First Amendment, the McCarthy-era initiative started by her father, Henry Fonda, with a groundswell of celebrity support.
The new committee, established to protect free speech from government censorship, has the support of over 550 entertainment figures, including: Quinta Brunson, Viola Davis, Kerry Washington, Natalie Portman, Aaron Sorkin, Spike Lee, Pedro Pascal, Ben Stiller, Whoopi Goldberg, Sean Penn, John Legend, Damon Lindelof, Julianne Moore, Janelle Monáe, Barbra Streisand, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ethan Hawke, Billie Eilish, Anjelica Huston and Judd Apatow.
“The McCarthy Era ended when Americans from across the political spectrum finally came together and stood up for the principles in the Constitution against the forces of repression,” Fonda said in a statement. “Those forces have returned. And it is our turn to stand together in defense of our constitutional rights.
“We refuse to stand by and let that happen,” she continued. “Free speech and free expression are the inalienable rights of every American of all backgrounds and political beliefs – no matter how liberal or conservative you may be. The ability to criticize, question, protest, and even mock those in power is foundational to what America has always aspired to be.”
The original committee was co-founded by Henry Fonda in the 1940s, in response to the House un-American activities committee. The House committee, led by senator Joseph McCarthy, accused entertainment figures of being communist sympathizers, derailing many careers and casting a chilling effect on Hollywood.
Fonda’s new committee arrives as free speech has once again become a rallying cry in Hollywood, following Disney’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! under pressure from the Trump administration. ABC’s parent company pre-empted Kimmel’s show after Brendan Carr, the Trump-appointed chair of the Federal Communications Commission, threatened to revoke its affiliate licenses over comments Kimmel made about the politicization of the shooting of rightwing commentator Charlie Kirk.
After backlash from viewers and the entertainment community, Disney allowed Kimmel to return to air last week. Nexstar and Sinclair, the two companies with affiliate stations that still refused to air the show, ended their boycott after discussions with Disney, allowing Kimmel to return to broadcast on all ABC stations.
In a letter encouraging her peers to join the initiative, Fonda pointed to her long history as a civil rights activist. “I’m 87 years old,” she wrote. “I’ve seen war, repression, protest, and backlash. I’ve been celebrated, and I’ve been branded an enemy of the state.
“But I can tell you this: this is the most frightening moment of my life,” she added. “When I feel scared, I look to history. I wish there were a secret playbook with all the answers – but there never has been. The only thing that has ever worked – time and time again – is solidarity: binding together, finding bravery in numbers too big to ignore, and standing up for one another.”
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