Jane Fonda recalled the real challenge of shooting Monster-in-Law.
In 2005 film Fonda plays the role of Viola, while Jennifer Lopez starred as Charlotte.
In her speech while presenting Wanda Sykes at the Vanity Fair Power of Women 2025 event, Fonda revealed the impossible task on Monster-in-law as to not giggle while working with her best friend Sykes, whom she met at the film set.
She said, “It was a challenging shoot — not just ’cause I had to keep slapping Jennifer Lopez — ’cause I had to keep a straight face when working with Wanda.”
“We both liked to improvise, so I never knew what she was going to say. And I swear, every take would get funnier and funnier,” Fonda added.
In the scene Fonda and Lopez slapped each other back and forth after Viola appeared in white dress at her son’s wedding.
Fonda revealed that Sykes became one of her “favorite people in the whole world” on the set. “I’ve been in the business a minute now, and I’ve seen many people who can reach certain heights and forget all about who they are and where they came from. Wanda is not one of those.”
“She has always worked hard to open doors, and she can open [doors] for people after her,” Jane Fonda said of Wanda Sykes.
