Jane Fonda reveals why being 80 is the best part of her life

She declared herself done with dating earlier this year, and now Jane Fonda has revealed she absolutely loves being 80 – despite always fearing she’d be a “grouchy old woman” when she got to that age.

Speaking to News Corp’s BW Magazine, the actress said that she never believed she’d live so long, and it’s surprised her how much she loves it.

“I never thought I would get to 80, and if I could have imagined what I would be, should I ever do the unlikely thing of living that long, I saw myself as a grouchy old woman; never that it would be a happy time for me,” she said.

The Grace and Frankie actress was surprised however to find that her later years have been her best.

“I’m 80 years old, and I can honestly say that this is the best part of my life. This is not what I expected at all, and I’m not finished,” she added.

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And it’s not the first time she’s discussed her age in recent times. On an episode of the Ellen DeGeneres Show, Fonda said: “If you had told me when I was 20 or 30 that I would actually still be acting, still active, at 80, on a show like this, I would have said you’re out of your mind. There’s no way. No.”

It comes after the star declared herself done with dating after her split from long-term partner Richard Perry last year.

At the premiere of her new film Book Club in May, Fonda was asked by Extra about her dating status. “I’m not dating anymore but I did up until a couple of years ago,” she said at the time. “I’m 80… I’ve closed up shop down there!”

Fonda’s last relationship with music producer Perry, 75, ended in January 2017. The actress was previously married to CNN founder Ted Turner for 10 years, until 2001. Fonda also married politician Tom Hayden in 1973, one year after divorcing film director Roger Vadim, who cast her in the classic sci-fi film Barbarella.

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Her children are Vanessa Vadim (from her first marriage),Troy Garity (with her second husband) and Mary Luana Williams (who was unofficially adopted).

In addition to Book Club, she is working on new episodes of the Netflix hit Grace and Frankie.

What do you think about Jane Fonda’s comments? Did your life turn out how you expected it to?