Jane Fonda Leads Celebrities to Re-Launch Free Speech Committee

Los Angeles, CA – Over 550 celebrities have come together to revive the Committee for the First Amendment, an influential group first created during the post-World War II Red Scare. Led by acclaimed actor and activist Jane Fonda, the committee aims to defend free speech and expression amid growing concerns about governmental efforts to silence critics.

The re-formed committee held its launch event on Wednesday, emphasizing the importance of protecting constitutional rights in today’s climate. “The federal government is once again engaged in a coordinated campaign to silence critics in the government, the media, the judiciary, academia, and the entertainment industry,” the letter sent to supporters states.

Jane Fonda, whose father, Henry Fonda, was an early member of the original committee founded in the 1940s, highlighted the severe risks facing today’s public figures. The committee first formed in response to the House Un-American Activities Committee, which targeted artists accused of communism during that era.

Joining Fonda in this movement are notable filmmakers Spike Lee, Barry Jenkins, J.J. Abrams, and Patty Jenkins, musicians like John Legend and Billie Eilish, and a host of actors including Mark Ruffalo, Viola Davis, and Ben Stiller. Fran Drescher, who recently completed her term as president of SAG-AFTRA, is also among the signatories.

In their letter, the group reflects on the historical significance of their initiative, stating, “This Committee was initially created during the McCarthy Era, a dark time when the federal government repressed and persecuted American citizens for their political beliefs.” They express concern that similar forces now threaten free speech.

Jane Fonda, now 87, shared her own experiences of repression and activism. “When I feel scared, I look to history… The only thing that has ever worked is solidarity: binding together, finding bravery in numbers too big to ignore, and standing up for one another,” she wrote in an invitation to peers.

The committee seeks to unify voices across the political spectrum, asserting that defending free expression does not belong to any one partisan group. Their efforts aim to highlight the collective anxiety in the entertainment industry and society as a whole, as the specter of censorship looms.