Jane Fonda's Gorgeous Gray Hair Transformation, In Photos

Jane Fonda first debuted her stunning gray hair at the 2020 Academy Awards in a chic pixie cut. She was 82 when she stepped out in the bold new look after saying goodbye to the signature blond locks that she rocked for decades throughout her long and successful career. Hair colorist Jack Martin explained on Instagram at the time that Fonda's transition from golden blond to gray took seven hours, as Martin painstakingly matched the new color to her existing salt-and-pepper roots.  

In the years that followed, Fonda spoke openly about her relief and joy at going gray. "I tell you, I'm so happy I let it go gray," Fonda said in 2021, while speaking on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." "Enough already with so much time wasted, so much money spent, so many chemicals. I'm through with that." Fonda's radical embrace of her gray hair is just one way that the star is shining a positive light on aging. Fonda is the ultimate style inspo for wearing heels over 80; even better, Fonda's frank comments on sex are breaking the stigma around intimacy as you age. So, the Hollywood diva is living proof that life gets better with each decade, and Fonda's gray hair transformation is one more example. 

Throughout her long career, Jane Fonda wore her hair in a range of colors, from blond to strawberry blond to brunette. Gray was one color she still hadn't tried, and when Fonda attended the National Press Club Headliners Luncheon in December 2019 in Washington, DC, she still looked like the classic Fonda people knew well. Fonda's blond hair was styled in a soft bob with gentle layers that added volume. It was one of her last public events before going gray. 

Jane Fonda revealed her stunning new haircut and color on February 9, 2020, at the Academy Awards in Hollywood, California. She presented the final award for best picture and stole the show while she did it. Fonda emerged with an icy silver-gray pixie cut with bangs. After the seven-hour treatment process, hair colorist Jack Martin wrote on Instagram: "Hair felt amazingly healthy, and Jane was extremely happy for getting her dream hair." Fonda certainly looked like a dream that night. It was the dawning of a new chapter for the star. 

A month after her big gray debut, Jane Fonda showed what a more lived-in version of her new gray pixie cut looked like. She attended Greenpeace USA Brings Fire Drill Fridays To California in March  2020 in San Pedro, California. While she was there as an activist, Fonda still showed that gray is as stylish as any hair color in Hollywood. Fonda wore her famous red coat, a symbol of anti-consumerism and a call to awareness of climate change. The red looked great next to her gray hair. 

Jane Fonda had a fuller, more grown-out version of her gray pixie cut when she attended the Women in Film Honors: Trailblazers of the New Normal in October 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Fonda sported a piecey pixie with flippy ends and bangs. Fonda's hair had obviously grown out since her gray hair debut in 2020. Here, her hair had more of a salt-and-pepper richness, with lighter and darker pieces throughout. 

For many women, going gray changes your color contrast, and it can be a journey figuring out the best colors to wear with gray hair. So when you embrace your gorgeous gray hair, you may need to overhaul your style because of the shift in contrast. Many women veer away from black out of concern that it'll be too harsh next to gray, but Jane Fonda is living proof that black can help gray hair pop. She wore an off-the-shoulder black top in April 2022 in Los Angeles, California, and looked stunning.

Jane Fonda debuted a new cut and style with her gray hair when she attended the premiere of "Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken" on June 28, 2023, in Hollywood, California. Fonda's hair was considerably longer and styled in the shape of a layered bob with full bangs. The cut and style were similar to the styles Fonda favored back in the late 2010s while blond, but this time she was showcasing her gray color, making the cut that much more interesting. She styled the look with a gray-and-white snake skin coat and a silver necklace. 

Jane Fonda wore a new version of gray when she attended the WMC 2023 Women's Media Awards in October 2023 in New York City. Her hair had a cooler tone with a darker gray-blue undertone. Fonda wore it loosely parted down the middle with soft curls framing her face in gentle layers. In a striking contrast to her cool hair color, Fonda wore a jacket with warm gold detailing on black fabric. 

Jane Fonda was a true silver fox when she walked the runway at the "Le Défilé L'Oréal Paris – Walk Your Worth" show during Paris Fashion Week on September 23, 2024, in Paris, France. Fonda's gray hair was teased out to maximum volume. Fonda wore a rhinestone silver trench coat that complemented the gray. She rocked a silver smokey eye with a dazzling raspberry pink lip that brought brightness to the overall effect. 

Jane Fonda showed off an even lighter tone of gray — almost platinum gray – when she arrived at the WMC 2025 Women's Media Awards in New York in June 2025. She created striking contrast with bold, black eye makeup and a rich nude lip. Even her brows, filled in with a subtle ash blond, were perfect as a complement to her light gray hair. Fonda styled her look with a satin, pastel mint pantsuit with a long strand of pearls, looking every bit the glamorous Manhattan diva of our dreams.

Jane Fonda arrived at the 2026 TCM Classic Film Festival Opening Night Gala screening of "Barefoot In The Park" in Hollywood in April 2026. Fonda starred in the 1967 film alongside Robert Redford, and the 2026 event honored her late co-star. Fonda's gray hair was styled in a voluminous, layered bob with face-framing curls. She amplified the warm tones in her gray hair by wearing a yellow-gold necklace, diamond earrings, and a regal purple pantsuit.