VIENNA (AP) 鈥 American actor Jane Fonda said Wednesday she accepted an Austrian building tycoon's invitation to attend the Vienna Opera Ball because he offered to 鈥減ay me quite a bit of money.鈥
The 85-year-old Academy Award and said at a news conference with her date, 90-year-old Richard Lugner, that she needed the money to pay her bills and to support her grandchildren.
鈥淚 support a lot of people,鈥 Fonda said.
The opera ball is one of the highlights of the social calendar in Austria and known for a guest list that includes many celebrities. This year's event is on Thursday.
Lugner is known for paying undisclosed sums of money to famous women to accompany him to the ball. His past guests include Pamela Anderson, Kim Kardashian and model Elle MacPherson.
Fonda said her commitment would not include dancing at the ball because she has a 鈥渇ake shoulder, two fake hips, two fake knees.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 old and I may fall apart,鈥 quipped the actor, whose recent roles have included the TV series 鈥滸race and Frankie" and
She acknowledged not being well informed before she accepted Lugner's invitation, telling reporters she thought it was to and not a ball.
Fonda, who is well known for her activism and to curb climate change, said she was 鈥渟orry鈥 to learn Austrian oil and gas company OMV sponsored the Vienna Opera Ball.
鈥淭hese fossil fuel companies are criminal. They鈥檙e criminal. They鈥檙e killing people. They鈥檙e killing the planet,鈥 she said.
鈥淧lease try to get your opera to stop taking support from an oil company,鈥 Fonda added.
