Jane Fonda didn't think she was "pretty enough" to be an actress.
Jane Fonda was filled with doubts
The 85-year-old star - who has previously opened up about her past eating disorder struggles - admitted she was "pretty lost" in her younger years and encouraged the youth of today to "keep going" as life will "get better" as they get older.
She told the new issue of People magazine: "Being young is really hard. Don't let anyone kid you.
"I wish when I was younger, someone had said to me, 'Don't give up. Keep going. It'll get better.'
"Young me did not want to be an actor. I didn't think I had talent. I didn't think I was pretty enough. I had a lot of body dysmorphia. I was pretty lost as a young person."
The 'Book Club: The Next Chapter' actress is "amazed" she is still working now and thinks a lot of her contentment comes from the fact that a lot of the questions she had about life when she was younger have now been answered.
She said: "Who am I? What am I supposed to do in life? All of that has been answered. I don't take anything for granted, and I'm just amazed that at my age I'm still working and have a lot of energy. It's all a surprise to me."
Jane sparked an exercise frenzy in 1982 with her self-titled workout video, which went on to sell 17 million copies, and she's proud to have inspired so many women.
She said: "So many women said to me, 'My whole attitude about myself changed.' That meant the world to me." T
The 'Grace and Frankie' star previously revealed that she hopes to become an "example" for young people.
She told People in 2022: "I've lived a good life. I've lived a productive and intentional life. And I knew I couldn't make it any longer than it was going to be, but I could make it wider and deeper. And I've done that. I feel like I'm doing that.
"I hope that I can be an example to young people so they won't be afraid of getting older."
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