PEACE, LOVE, AND MISUNDERSTANDING

It is beautiful up here in Ulster County, New York and this film, “Peace, Love and Misunderstanding,” is off to a great start. We had a read-through yesterday with all the cast except Chace Crawford (“Gossip Girls” star) and it really hit me how funny and moving this script is. It’s about love and healing and the characters are wonderful, unique, and very funny. Catherine Keener plays my daughter and that excites and pleases me more than you can know because I think she is both truly talented and original but also fascinating. My grandkids are played by Lizzie Olsen who lives in NY and does theatre, although I think when her face is seen on the screen in this movie it’ll be hard for her to not do more films; and Nat Wolff who is on Nickelodeon, a singer and musician in the Naked Brothers band. He is so terrific in this part!!! Marissa O’Donnell (played “Annie” for a long time on Broadway) is Nat’s “love” interest and Chace Crawford (“Gossip Girls”) is Lizzie’s love interest. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is Keener’s love interest. I set them all up for love. I play Grace, who thinks it’s still 1969 and dresses and behaves accordingly which is a whole lot of fun. I have never played a diehard hippie before. Johann Stegmeir has done the costumes and they are perfect. I’ve never been a gray head before either and I like it.

I would have been posting my blog sooner but we’re out in the woods here and I couldn’t get online till today and with diligent help from Alinda, my assistant, who, in real life, works with the Archepedia Foundation, which develops programs and curricula addressing happiness and wellbeing. Our producer, Claude Dal Farra, is also involved with the foundation…which I intend to find out more about.

Right now, I have to go cook me some dinner and go to bed. I have to get used to going to bed at, like, 8pm cause today I found out that my pick ups may be as early as 5am!!! This is when I begin to miss Paris where the pick ups were at 10:40 most mornings and one could have a nightlife (as you saw in my blogs from there). Ah the French!!.

See You Next Time

Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Our first read-through. Nat in foreground, Lizzie in white

Lizzie Olsen

Marissa

deck

view from deck of lake

stairs from deck to lake

One of Grace's looks

That's Lizzie, and Marissa next to her and Nat across from her

Chace and Nat

Lunch break at "The Farm". That's Chace at the end.

Alinda is my wonderful assistant...highly over qualified but I got lucky

me in character of Grace

Chace Crawford, Lizzie Olsen, Nat Wolff, Marissa O'Donnell

...with me thrown in

Everyone watching dailies

Nat is my grandson, "Jake."

Lizzie, who plays Zoe, my granddaughter, in my (Grace's) kitchen

Looking out the window of Grace's kitchen

Our wonderful director, Bruce Beresford, and Nat, in Grace's kitchen

I love this window treatment. Robert Schleinig is our set decorator and he's done such a fantastic job. I could so live here.

Grace's vegetable garden. I asked them to add nasturems...edible flowers

Looking across the road from Grace's house

porch of Grace's house

Grace's living room

Tulea surveying the surroundings. Love the colorful walls. So sixties!!!

Catherine (Keener), my daughter, asked Nat to play this antique accordion which the set decorator bought cause it has her character's name on it

Bruce Beresford and Renee Foley Burke, the script supervisor

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43 Comments
  1. Thank you for sharing. Beautiful! Just like being there.

  2. Dear Jane,
    Love your blog! The hippie era was really something! It’s hard to believe so many years have gone by since then! You look awesome in your Kimono and hippie gear! Thank goodness a little of it’s influence remains in our society! We could all use more Love, that’s for sure.

    I enjoy your pictures and stories. I’m disabled and home a lot and seeing your blog is like a breath of fresh air! Almost like I was there with y’all! 🙂

    So nice to see you in a good place in your life! I commend you for it. It is not as easy as it appears as we both know! It seems to revolve around the old adage, “Don’t sweat the small stuff, It’s all small stuff!” Or something similar.

    Take care, and keep us all up on your life and accomplishments. You still have many fans out there keep up with you!
    Best Wishes,
    Sheila

  3. Welcome to the neighborhood! Loved the post, especially the photos of you in full hippie goddess regalia.

  4. Wow! How do you go from one film to the next? Is there character “hangover” or does the last one just go away? I mean I can juggle several job or life tasks at once but I am always being me. Guess I find it pretty awesome!

    • I’ve had a few character “hangovers”–after “The Dollmaker” for instance. But usually not.

  5. Jane
    Such wonderful pictures and commentary.
    you are so sweet about all the people you’re working with.
    And especially thanks for being so supportive and sweet to Nat.
    Michael Wolff, Nat’s Father.

  6. Glad to hear you are enjoying Ulster County: it really is an amazing place to be. If you have any free time this weekend, you should check out the Bounty of The Hudson at Warwick Winery. Beautiful scenery, local wines and fabulous food. Try to suck up as much of the Hudson Valley as you can while you’re here!

  7. Welcome to the neighborhood, the Hudson Valley is one of the most beautiful places to live with it’s changing seasons. Also with all of it amenities you do not have to travel far. Enjoy your stay I look forward to seeing the film.

  8. What a great time you all must be having making this film. Making pictures back to back again, are you? We (your fans) can’t wait for this Woodstock tribute. You are showing us a positive view of aging . I feel energized reading about your adventures. Back on the horse, you are. What next, an equestrian statue?

  9. Welcome to Ulster County Jane, were SO EXCITED your here in our area.Sounds like your having fun already. Love the cast overview and photo’s,and boy do you look SPECTACULAR in character! I look forward to your posts.
    There are so many beautiful natural & historic sites here that I hope you and the cast will enjoy. Great shops and restaurants etc. I’ve heard you enjoy great art, 721 Gallery is one of the areas finest,and has a monthly art walk the first Saturday of every month,as well as personal viewings.
    Happy Filming

  10. You are gorgeous even with grey hair!
    And Jeffrey Dean Morgan … SIGH.
    Keep the great photos and story of your days coming; they are ever so welcome in my inbox.

  11. Love your gray wig…it is funny if I saw you on the street like that I would not recognize you. P.S.–noticed in some of your previous blog posts that you wear a wedding ring. Also met you in person at 33 Variations and noticed the same thing.

  12. Brazil Love you! Love love and love Jeffrey Dean Morgan too =)

  13. wow, really great pics, I am a fan of nat wolff, and its really great to see…
    and the setting is really wonderful, like I could go there and live peacefully….
    without bigfoot, lol

  14. Love the hippy thing! Sometimes I reckon that I was born too late. I was a child of the 60’s, but would have made a great flower child of the 60’s! My Dad was a baker and we used to drop off stale bread to the communes on weekends for their animals (on the Central Coast of NSW), I used to play with the hippy kids and listen to their parents’ great music while Dad dropped off the bread! Can’t wait for the movie, Jane. Great stuff.

  15. Oh, just looked back on photos and saw our Bruce there! Go Aussie! What an Aussie legend, he is!

  16. Ms.Fonda…Thank you for sharing your pics and insight. You are an outstanding actress. My daughter is actually down there with her friend who is Lizzie’s understudy. She was so thrilled to see you walk by her. I can’t wait to see the finished product. Break a leg!

  17. Hello Jane!

    I work at the toy store in Woodstock and had a blast watching you film all day right out side the store! :0) It was so much fun to hear the drums and watch you all chanting. You looked amazing; LOVED the outfit and the long curly hair! I was so star-struck, seeing you and Catherine Keener and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. He said hello to me and it made my whole day! I wish I had had the courage to say more, to tell him what a fantastic actor I think he is and how much I enjoy all of his work! I actually got a bit teary eyed seeing you this morning, watching you and thinking of all of the movies I have seen you in and how I have enjoyed you my entire life. What a treat for me! Good luck and I can’t wait to see the movie when it comes out! :0)

  18. Thanks for the great information and pictures. I have posted a link to a site called natnalex, which a community fansite and discussion boards of Nat and his brother Alex.

    The fans get very excited and are interested in the activities of these two brothers. As one of their moderators I think it much easier to have the fans come to your blog, then to try to rewrite everything you do.

    Your writeups by the way are excellent.

    Here is a link to that thread if you wish to have a look.

    http://natnalex.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=4807774

    This is a great opportunity for all the younger cast members and I think you have a very talented cast. I am predicting a very fine finished product that will have great success.

    Best wishes to you all.

    Ms. Fonda, keep the blogs coming. They are being well received.

    Bill

  19. Glad to have you here. We’re working on more moderate summer weather, but yesterday might have been our one perfect day!

  20. Dear Jane, I have lived many places and feel really lucky to have ended up here in the Hudson Valley. I am so exicted to see your new movie because from what I’ve read about it, you all are capturing the true spirit of Woodstock. I was watching the filming of the drum circle on the road Thursday (I work a block away). The fellow running the drum circle really does that circle most Sunday’s on the green. And you look truely fabulous in your character of Grace and like a real Woodstocker. Of course we always knew you were one at heart.

    Call me Impressed, peace

  21. I saw you guys filming in Rosendale this Saturday at the music festival. Actually, it all happened in front of my booth. Absolute coolness! Curious about the bus in the parking lot??? Cannot wait to see the movie! Welcome to Ulster County! If you get a chance, go over to Kingston and check out the big Dutch Reformed Church in Uptown. It’s amazing.

  22. Dear Jane,

    My wife and I have a weekend home in Gardiner and we went to the Rosendale Street Festival this past weekend and saw the filming. I have been a fan of yours since before the Barbarella days. When I was at Union College in the early 70’s (Klute time) you came and gave a speech at our school. I will never forget that shag haircut – so cool. So, welcome to Ulster County, Jane. This role must be a hoot for you. Enjoy it!!
    Must be great working with all those other actors.

    Kudos to you for continuing to work and define yourself as one of America’s finest actresses.

    Larry Feldman

  23. Love the descriptions and sentiments expressed, and love the photos, thank you so much for taking the time and putting in so much thought. It truly bring the process to light. I enjoyed being one of the protestors on the Village Green the other day and look forward to being part of the Moon party in a couple of weeks. Its going to be a great movie and I’m glad that the making of it seems to be so much fun. Welcome to Woodstock!

  24. Dear Jane,

    I saw you at Disney in Calif. with my daughter, Lisa about 30 years ago and took your picture. You took so many pictures for people that by the time I asked you for one, your patience was worn out but you did it anyway. I was so nervous that I chopped off your head! Sorry! It’s so funny that my daughter was in Rosendale at the street festival where they were filming your new movie last weekend. I hope she got in the movie! Our tent was the one with the licensed balloons if you get to see it. Lisa has short black hair.She was 9 years old when we were at Disney. I can’t believe we almost crossed paths again. Wish I was there, I may have recognized you if you were there. Would have been fun! I love all your movies. Can’t wait to see this one. Lisa is a former local actress. She played Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and is now a school teacher. She would have loved to meet you. She doesen’t know yet that she may be in the movie! Can’t wait to tell her! I love your costume! Oh yes, this will be funny, I’m sure! I’m laughing already!

  25. Thanks for coming and filming in our area . We are Happy you are here in Kerhonkson NY . ~ Best Wishes ~ Peter Morrison
    ( 845 ) 633-3616 TRS STUDIOS 102 Boice Mill Rd Kerhokson NY

  26. hola soy de mexico solo queri decirle que se ve muy buena la pelicula y mas por que sale nat wolff.

  27. Hi! I was walking through town with my friends in Woodstock when I saw a bunch of trucks and lights outdoors. I quickly gathered information and found out that it was a filming of Peace, Love, and Misunderstanding! I was so excited to find out that such a big project was happening not 5 minutes from my house! When I got home and told my mom, I got another surprise – she was going to be in it! She had recently done a recording for the film’s soundtrack and she was asked to participate in a scene as a cellist. Good luck with the film!

  28. Hi Jane, love your blog. If you get a chance come to High Falls and have a meal at The Eggs Nest. It is an Ulster County institution and Richard, proprietor extraordinaire will welcome your Tulea!

  29. I had a great time being an extra on the film for the music festival. I can’t wait to see the movie.

  30. Jane,
    I was an extra in the Street Fair Scene. You are so much more beautiful in real life than in any photos I’ve scene of you!
    Thank you for all your work as an actress in making a difference in people’s lives!

  31. Dear Jane,
    I just got off the phone with my son Bjorn Jackson. He was driving back home after spending 4 days on the film crew of Peace Love and Misunderstanding. He could not stop telling me how excited he was about this film and he went on and on about how cool you were to work with and be around.
    I was happy to go on line right away and see first hand, all the photos of the actors and the film location.
    I am 55 and Peace Love and Misunderstanding was a huge part of my life in the 60’s and 70’s and I can’t wait to see this movie.

    Peace Rebecca Gooch

  32. is this a kind of indie? i wish i could watch this film in the philippines

  33. I am an Emma Willard alum and was there for your visit a few years back. I also live in the Hudson Valley, right in the midst of a lot of your filming sites and have gotten to experience the community’s excitement for your presence. I look forward to seeing your movie and wish you the best of luck in the remainder of your filming!

  34. Wow. I remember watching Natt Wolf wiht my best friend on Nick. He got Ugly.

  35. omg im sssssoooooo glad that nat wolff is in this movie i am totaly in love with him i have been ever since i was 9 and im 14 now could u tell him that please i really want to know the exact date it comes out i want to seeit on the first day

  36. I dont know where elese to post this but I am a Viet Nam vet…Adn Jane there are quite a few of us that Love you…You Never need to apoligize for the ” Hanoy Jane” crap…you took up a very unpopular cause and risked throwing away a promising carer and the termoil that would follow because you had strong beliefs about the war.

    It matters not whether your views were right or wrong all that matters is you had the BALLS to stand up for what you belived in and damn the consequences…
    If more of us did the same this would be a GREAT country…

    Thank you very much Jane

    Yours Ferever John Hennessy

    P.S. Ive ben wanting to tell you this for years

  37. Hi Jane Fonda My son Tim Wallin was the one who took care of your and Catherine’s trailers. My husband and 2 sisters visited one day when your trailers were at the firehouse. We saw Catherine, Lizzie, Nat and Jeffrey. We waited all day hoping to get a look at you when you came back to the firehouse for lunch. They said that you were working and wouldn’t be coming up that day.
    We did drive by the house while you were shooting.
    It was very exciting for us to see all the lights and activity.
    I can’t wait for the movie to come out.
    Good luck. I hope it’s a big hit.

  38. Can’t wait to move back to the area! And I am so looking forward to seeing this movie!!

  39. I loved this movie!!!! Everything about this movie made me relax!!! Thanks

  40. I was so moved yesterday when I saw here in Athens Greece this movie. I liked all the characters and the messages of the film, but I need to say that it was you dear Jane that inspired me the most. Therefore I would like to express to you a big THANK you from the bottom of my heart with my best wishes for your life.

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