Jane Fonda's Barbarella Nude Scene Had To Be Reshot For A Wild Reason

Though many wouldn't rank it among the best science fiction movies of all time (in fact, many might place it with the sci-fi flicks that became unwatchable with age), 1968's "Barbarella" is undeniably iconic. The camp favorite stars Jane Fonda as the titular heroine, who is sent by the United States government to track down the creator of a planet-destroying weapon, scientist Durand Durand (Milo O'Shea). Of course, her mission is full of strange twists and turns that make the movie quite a unique watch. Fonda herself had an unusual time making it, to say the least, having to immerse herself in a wacky sci-fi universe, wear odd costumes, and even film a nude scene — one that had to be reshot for a wild reason.

At the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Fonda appeared and discussed several subjects, including the making of "Barbarella." She specifically noted that her nude scene was not only difficult for her to shoot but that an unexpected animal nuisance created the need for a reshoot. "A bat kept flying between the camera and me. And we had to do the whole thing over again the next day — only I had a hangover," she said (via Vulture). Speaking to Vanity Fair, she highlighted that her body dysmorphia made filming this scene and the movie as a whole a psychologically taxing experience.

Now decades removed from the project and the far from enjoyable shoot, Fonda has a complicated relationship with "Barbarella."

During her 2023 Cannes Film Festival appearance, Jane Fonda shared that she wasn't at all a fan of "Barbarella" during the filming process. "I didn't like it at all when I was making it," she said bluntly. But with over five decades between her and that experience, she looks at it much differently all these years later. "Now when I see it, I think it's fun," she admitted. Fonda shared similar feelings on the feature back in 2005 to CBS News, admitting that after ages of not being able to look at "Barbarella," she can now get a good laugh out of it and appreciate its charm.

At first glance, it may seem like Fonda is totally content with "Barbarella" and its legacy, despite the discomfort that came with making it. In reality, she still holds some frustrated feelings about it. It has come to light that a new "Barbarella" film is in the works with Sydney Sweeney set to star, but Fonda has no desire to think about it let alone be involved. The reason? The squandered potential of the original. "I worry about what it's going to be. I had an idea of how to do it that [original producer] Dino De Laurentiis, when he was still alive, wouldn't listen to. But it could have been a truly feminist movie," she told The Hollywood Reporter.

Barbarella is far from a mainstream pop culture icon in the modern era, but perhaps that will change with the Sydney Sweeney-led reboot movie. Hopefully, she has a better time making the film than Jane Fonda did decades ago, and the production meets its fullest potential.