1968 cult hit “Barbarellacemented Jane Fondaher status as a sex symbol. Then choose a modern equivalent, like Sydney Sweeneyin the role of owner for an upcoming Sony remake that seems like a pretty solid move.
But Fonda, who is not involved in the remake, told The Hollywood Reporter in a profile posted Friday, that he has some concerns about the film’s remake, so much so that he’s even trying to “not” think about it.
“I worry about what it will be,” Fonda told the magazine. “I had an idea of how to do it [original producer] Dino De Laurentiis, when he was still alive, did not listen. But it could have been a really feminist film.”
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The “Grace and Frankie” actor expressed his “complicated feelings” about “Barbarella.” She told Glamor in May 2022 that she felt conflicted about the story, in which a woman is tasked by the President of the United States to land his spaceship on an evil planet and save it.
“So she’s kind of a feminist, right?” she said. “But once you get there, it’s just about making love and having kinky sex.”
Fonda said the sexy twist was a bit “objective for me and women”.
Fonda hinted to Glamor that making the film wasn’t a great experience either. Her husband at the time, Roger Vadim, directed the film, and Fonda left him shortly after the film.
She also told GMA (via TV Insider) in September that she doesn’t feel comfortable filming an erotic scene.
“I was so nervous doing this tape that I ended up naked, I drank a lot of vodka,” she said on the show. “I was drunk out of my mind and heading to the song.”
Unfortunately, there was a problem while filming the scene, so Fonda had to reshoot it the next day, and it took some liquid courage to pull it off.
“What it actually used was, I wasn’t just drunk, I had a hangover,” Fonda recalled in the 2018 documentary about her, “Jane Fonda in Five Acts.”
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In October, Sweeney confirmed that she would star in an upcoming Sony reboot of “Barbarella.” The film is still in development with no writers or directors attached to the project, though Deadline notes that sources say Sweeney is expected to executive produce.
While there is very little information about the film, Sweeney told Entertainment Tonight in October that she was drawn to Barbarella’s va-va-voom factor.
“I’m really excited to serve all the matches,” enthused the “Euphoria” star, referring to Barbarella’s dark suits. “But he’s also such an iconic and fun character. And I want to keep that fun alive through Barbarella. So I’m excited for everyone to see it.”
When ET asked if Sweeney had approached Fonda about the project, Sweeney laughed nervously and said, “I can’t say!”
Whether Sweeney reached out or not, hopefully the actors are talking and Sweeney is considering some of Fonda’s ideas about how the film could be a little more progressive.
To read Fonda’s full profile, go to The Hollywood Reporter.
