Bridget Fonda, one of Hollywood’s most prominent stars of the 1980s and 90s, was seen out and about for the first time in twelve years.
As The Daily Mail reports, Fonda is virtually unrecognizable as she stepped out in Los Angeles with her 17-year-old son, Oliver.
Fans were shocked to see that the former blonde bombshell had undergone an extreme transformation since she was last photographed in 2009.
She sported a basic shirt and loose pants while running errands and her now-gray hair was tied in a simple low ponytail.
These photos of Fonda were captured on the actress’ 68th birthday, and many are wondering how fast time went by since she was photographed last.
Bridget Fonda’s Star Power
There is no doubt that Fonda would be a star well before her breakthrough.
She was born into the Fonda dynasty in 1964, being the granddaughter of Henry Fonda through his son Peter.
In addition, her aunt is television and film icon Jane Fonda, and her mother was a well-known artist around the time of her birth.
Due to her family legacy, it was no surprise that the young Bridget Fonda was embroiled in the world of film and theatre.
Her first time on stage was in a school production of Harvey, which led to her decision to pursue a career as an actress.
She then studied method acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York City, graduating in 1986.
Soon enough, she proved herself to be one of the most famous actresses of the late twentieth century.
Her Work On Film
Before deciding to pursue acting as a full-time career, Fonda made her film debut in her Easy Rider when she was just four years old.
In the film, her father, Peter Fonda, and fellow actor Dennis Hopper star as characters trekking across the United States.
Bridget Fonda was one of the children hired to make up the ensemble at a hippie farm the characters encounter during the film.
She had a second non-speaking role in Partners while she was a student at NYU.
Her big break came in 1988 when she was cast in the film Scandal – immediately proving she had the skills Hollywood was looking for in an up-and-coming new performer. She was awarded the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work on the film.
One of her most famous roles is as journalist Grace Hamilton in The Godfather Part III, who gets caught up in a string of lies and murder when she was hoping to interview Michael Corleone.
She followed that up with her role in Single White Female, which is known as one of the best thrillers of the early 90s.
Having appeared in a mix of genres throughout her steadily rising career, it seemed as though Fonda was unstoppable.
Interest in her persona began to rise after the release of Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown in 1997, and a profile in Movie Maker written the following year best summed up the public’s perception of Fonda, writing:
“Sensationalism is just not her style. Oh, she’ll do the press thing when she has to, but given her druthers, most nights she’d just as soon stay home and squeeze zits on Eric’s back as schmooze at a big Hollywood cocktail party. The fact is, Bridget Fonda is one of the rare actresses of her generation and ability who’s completely content to let her work speak for itself. And since Jackie Brown is the highest-profile project to come her way lately, the hijackers are taking full advantage.”
Why Did Bridget Fonda Disappear?
After winning an Emmy and a second Golden Globe, Fonda became highly selective about her projects.
The last project she was involved in was 2002’s Snow Queen, after which she suffered a horrific car crash that resulted in a fractured vertebra.
During recovery, Fonda spent much of her time focusing on her relationship with composer and musician Danny Elfman.
The two were engaged in 2003, having been together for six years.
Fans predict Fonda decided to quit the industry to focus on life at home with her husband and their son Oliver.
Some believe her rapid rise to the top made her feel differently about the industry as she grew up.
Her well-known dislike of photoshoots and rare magazine appearances were indicative of the actress not enjoying the star persona her management had attempted to cultivate on her behalf, contributing to reasons to leave the business.
