Jane Fonda doesn't mind getting arrested ahead of birthday

Jane Fonda is open to the idea of spending her 82nd birthday in jail if it helps raise awareness about climate change.

The Barbarella actress avoided a fifth arrest in as many weeks at her latest Fire Drill Fridays climate change protest in Washington, D.C. after learning she could face months of jail time if she was taken into custody.

Fonda was inspired to take action by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who has become a public champion for climate change, and attended the Glamour Woman of the Year Awards in New York City on Friday to accept the honour on Thunberg's behalf.

The Grace and Frankie star risks a longer sentence if she continues to be arrested, and previously said she'd sit out of the protests if it jeopardised work on the final season of her hit Netflix series.

However, she is open to the possibility of spending her upcoming birthday in jail, explaining to Entertainment Tonight: "Friday is December 20. I turn 82 on December 21, so it depends on my lawyer. If I risk going to jail for three months, I'm not going to do it."

"It doesn't matter about the arrest," she added. "What matters is getting the word out to people and engaging in civil disobedience, because this is what's going to be more and more necessary."

The actress added: "Everybody's gotta get used to this new normal, getting beyond our comfort zone and not acting as business as usual anymore. Risking a little bit more, because there's so much at stake."