Jane Fonda’s outfit for last night’s Vanity Fair Oscar Party accomplished two classic Fonda goals. First, she looked stunning in her sequin dress. Second, she made a political statement about the future of Hollywood. For the event, Fonda wore a pin that read “Block the Merger,” referring to the slated purchase of Warner Bros. by David Ellison’s Paramount, which would bring two of the most important studios, historically, under one roof. “The mergers are gonna be bad for workers,” Fonda told Variety on the red carpet. “A lot of people are gonna lose their jobs. We’re gonna have higher prices. We’re gonna have political control over what we do.”
Previously, WB was going to be purchased by Netflix, which is run by Fonda’s friend Ted Sarandos, though she says she would be against that merger too. Still, the Paramount option is particularly repellent to Fonda, because the Ellisons are close with President Trump. For evidence, Fonda mentioned how Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said “the sooner David Ellison” gets control of the WB-owned CNN, “the better.” CNN is particularly close to Fonda’s heart. “I slept with the guy who created it,” she said, referring to Ted Turner, whom she was married to for ten years. “I have a personal stake in it.” And she’s got the pin to prove it.