Joaquin Phoenix kicks off Oscars weekend at L.A. climate change protest with Jane Fonda
Oscar-nominated star of Joker Joaquin Phoenix has joined Jane Fonda for the second time for Fire Drill Fridays, a weekly protest led by the Grace and Frankie star that began last fall.
The Office‘s Rainn Wilson, Harry Potter‘s Bonnie Wright, Fonda’s onscreen daughters June Diane Raphael and Brooklyn Decker, and legendary producer Norman Lear were also at the rally, which have moved from Washington, D.C. to California.
Phoenix went on stage during the protest to introduce activist Nalleli Cobo. “She’s an environmental justice activist who has been using the power of her voice and the trauma of her lived experience to fight a powerful polluter.,” Phoenix said on stage.
“She also is going to be our future president, isn’t that right?” #Joker star and #Oscars nominee Joaquin Phoenix introduces environmental justice activist Nalleli Cobo at the first #FireDrillFriday in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/B6gXqSjBRs
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 7, 2020
Phoenix was arrested on Jan. 10 for taking part in a D.C. Fire Drill Friday protest. He joins a group of Fonda’s celebrity friends who have been arrested supporting her climate change movement: Sally Field, Ted Danson, Rosanna Arquette, Catherine Keener, Diane Lane, Paul Scheer, and fellow Grace and Frankie stars Lily Tomlin, Sam Waterston, Martin Sheen, and Raphael have all participated in the peaceful protests and been taken in by police as a result.
Phoenix is mere days away from appearing at the 2020 Academy Awards, where he is nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Phoenix recently gave a moving speech about the lack of diversity at the BAFTAs following his win there for his Joker, in which he plays loner and havoc-wreaking Arthur Fleck.
“I have to say that I also feel conflicted because so many of my fellow actors that are deserving don’t have that same privilege,” Phoenix said. “I think that we send a very clear message to people of color that you’re not welcome here. I think that’s the message that we’re sending to people that have contributed so much to our medium and our industry and in ways that we benefit from.”
“Fire Drill Friday” began after Fonda gave an interview with the Washington Post in October. In the announcement she explained that she was moving to Washington, D.C., saying “we’re going to engage in civil disobedience and we’re going to get arrested every Friday.”
The 82-year-old actress and activist has been open about how indigenous groups and young climate change activists including Greta Thunberg have inspired her actions, her support of the proposed Green New Deal, and her longterm plans to demonstrate.
The Green New Deal is a climate proposal currently in limbo that was initially introduced by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts. The goal of the deal would be for the United States and its government to get away from fossil fuel energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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