Jane Fonda Opens Up About the Possibility of Spending Her 82nd Birthday in Jail (Exclusive)

The actress and activist has been protesting in Washington D.C. every Friday, in the name of spreading awareness about climate change.

Jane Fonda is no stranger to civil disobedience, and now, she's lending her star power to the climate change crisis.

The actress has temporarily relocated to Washington D.C. in order to protest every week in the name of raising awareness about the global and widespread effects of climate change. Fonda, 82, was inspired to take action by 16-year-old Swedish student Greta Thunberg -- who has become one of the most public faces of climate change activism -- and attended the Glamour Woman of the Year Awards in New York City on Friday to accept the honor on Thunberg's behalf.

"I'm honored to receive it for her, because she's had a big effect on a lot of people, certainly on me," Fonda told ET's Rachel Smith on the red carpet. "She was the one that inspired me to move to D.C. to do this on Fridays, like she does, to help people understand the urgency of the crisis."

"[We're] trying to save the planet, save humanity," she added. "The scientists tell us we have 11 years to do something that is incredibly difficult, which is to try to slow down climate change. It's affecting every aspect of our lives and of the planet."

Thunberg sparked the idea for Fonda's "Fire Drill Friday" protests by school-striking in her home country, and has since been travelling the world to raise awareness about climate change and its related consequences. The young activist has inspired many during her time in the international spotlight so far, including Fonda -- who has recruited some of her famous friends to join her in protesting around the Capitol building each week.

The actress has already been arrested three times during her peaceful demonstrations, and once spent the night in jail. While she risks a longer sentence if she continues to be arrested -- which could interfere with production on the final season of her hit Netflix series, Grace and Frankie -- Fonda is open to the possibility of spending her upcoming birthday in jail.

"Friday is December 20. I turn 82 on December 21, so it depends on my lawyer," she explained. "If I risk going to jail for three months, I'm not going to do it."

"It doesn't matter about the arrest," she added. "What matters is getting the word out to people and engaging in civil disobedience, because this is what's going to be more and more necessary. Everybody's gotta get used to this new normal, getting beyond our comfort zone and not acting as business as usual anymore. Risking a little bit more, because there's so much at stake. "

See more on climate change in the video below.

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