Bridget Fonda Bashed after Weight Gain — She Left Hollywood to Be Mom & Now Lives on Ranch with Hubby

• Tarantino-"It Girl," Bridget Fonda, the granddaughter of Henry Fonda and niece of Jane Fonda, is known for her successful run in Hollywood, where she starred in several critically-acclaimed films.
• Due to an unfortunate accident that impacted her health status, the "Jackie Brown" star started to struggle with weight gain, leading to widescale criticism by the public.
• In 2020 the "Kiss of the Dragon" talent left her career in Hollywood behind to pursue a quieter lifestyle by focusing on raising her son on her family ranch in Santa Barbara.

Born to Susan Brewer and "Easy Rider" actor Peter Fonda, Bridget Jane Fonda is the granddaughter of famous actor Henry Fonda and niece of Academy Award winner Jane Fonda. Outside of being born into a renowned family, the Hollywood blonde bombshell is most known for her iconic roles in Quentin Tarantino films.

Though the starlet comes from a famous family, she refused to use her famous name to get gigs. Fonda ensured she always put her best foot forward when showcasing her acting skills in any role she acquired.

Stemming from such a notable and widely-known family, Bridget worked hard to ensure that she created a name for herself in the entertainment industry based on her merit and skillful talents. The "Point Of No Return" actress started acting as early as age 5. Even though she began to prove herself at an early age, Fonda wondered how her life would have turned out differently had she not been born into the famed family:

"I wonder what kind of satisfaction I would have with where I am now if I wasn't part of a family that has done such phenomenal work. I wonder what it would feel like to know that you've made it completely under your own steam. I sometimes wonder if I would be more at peace if I could know I made it by myself instead of always wondering how many times my name got me in the door."

The "Single White Female" star played an extra in "Easy Rider" in 1969. The film starred her dad, Peter, as one of the main characters, and though she was only playing an extra, this was the first time Bridget got seen in an acting role.

After her debut in a high school production of "Harvey," Fonda quickly discovered her love of acting and enrolled at New York University at 18. Following her education at NYU, she spent some time at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.

As one of Hollywood's biggest stars in the 1990s, Fonda promptly made a name for herself and starred in several notable productions. These include "The Godfather Part III," "Strapless," "Doc Hollywood," "Singles," "Single White Female," "It Could Happen to You," and "Point Of No Return," "Scandal," "In the Gloaming," and "A Simple Plan" amongst others.

An interesting fact about the movie "Point Of No Return" is that Bridget's grandfather, Henry, actually starred in a Broadway production of the same title. The Broadway play was showcased in the early 1950s, but despite the titular correspondence with the film, the play had no connection whatsoever to the film.

At the height of her success, Fonda quickly became one of Hollywood's most-watched performers. With "all eyes" on her anticipating her next project, Tarantino cast her as Melanie Ralston in "Jackie Brown."

Though the role was not as significant as her other ones, Fonda describes it as one of her most "satisfying roles" at the time. Despite her character being known for smoking and adorning a cute bikini top and denim shorts for most of the movie, Fonda still put effort into carefully crafting her character.

Another role Fonda really showed off her acting prowess was "Scandal." In the film, the 90s movie star plays real-life model and showgirl Mandy Rice-Davies. When the reviews of the movie came through, Fonda received nothing but rave comments about her portrayal in the movie. "Calculating and vicious" yet "funny and intelligent" were words used by critics to describe her performance. She went on to be nominated for a Golden Globe.

In 2002, Fonda met her husband, Danny Elfman, a famous American singer, songwriter, and composer, and in early 2003, the couple announced their engagement. After the couple wed in November 2003 in a private ceremony near L.A., Fonda left her career in Hollywood to pursue a more discreet lifestyle away from public scrutiny and focus on starting a family.

Elfman shares two daughters, Lola and Mali, with his ex-wife, Geri Eisenmenger, and in 2005, he and Fonda welcomed their son Oliver Elfman. By leading a quiet life, the couple keeps a very low profile, and though Elfman posts actively on his Instagram account, the musical talent rarely ever posts of his wife.

Like his parents, Oliver, now 18, does his best to stay out of the limelight; thus, not much is known about him yet. The son of Fonda and Elfman rarely makes appearances, except for the occasional pop-up at an Industry event, typically with his father.

Recently, Oliver was spotted out and about with his mom Bridget in Los Angeles. Paparazzi snapped the stay-at-home mom and her son in a silver Land Rover adorning masks during the height of the pandemic in 2020.

In 2003, Fonda got into a tragic car accident that hospitalized her. On an early Thursday morning, the "It Could Happen to You" star was driving her Jaguar alone on slippery roads due to the heavy rainfall apparent that day. The car catapulted over a barrier on a Pacific Coast Highway section.

Fonda was rushed to St John's Health Centre in Santa Monica. According to her publicist, Nancy Seltzer, Fonda got diagnosed with a "slight fracture of two thoracic vertebrae," but her prognosis stipulated a full recovery. Reports stated later that her seatbelt saved her life.

Criticized For Weight Gain

Since stepping away from the camera, Fonda, now 59, has led a drastically different life and has undergone significant changes - most noticeably her current appearance. The last year that the "Jackie Brown" actress was last photographed publicly was in 2009 at the premiere of Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds."

After 20 years of living outside the public's view, Fonda was spotted in Los Angeles in 2020, where the star currently resides. On two separate occasions, the mom of one got snapped wearing very casual and comfortable attire while busying herself in her hometown.

On the first appearance, Fonda sported a pink Micky Mouse shirt and black sweatpants while carrying what appeared to be her son's sports kit bag. In another sighting, the 90s "It Girl" adorned a striped T-shirt, black sweatpants, and New Balance sneakers. The 90s starlet was also joined by her cute puppy, Yuki.

From both looks, it is clear that Fonda continues to focus on being a mother first and a previous film star second. The "Doc Hollywood" talent appeared to be wearing no visible make-up and had her hair wrapped in a low-hanging ponytail.

She also carried multiple objects in one hand - her car keys, cell phone, and a tumbler cup. The apparent physical difference between the Fonda from Hollywood and the Fonda focused on being a mom has caused shock and criticism among fans, with many not being afraid to call this difference out:

Several fans have also expressed complete disbelief at Fonda's current appearance. Many even outright denied that it was Fonda who was photographed in recent sightings:

The criticism over her appearance stems from the fact that fans still have her last red carpet appearance in mind. Many still tend to think of the 90s "It" girl as the Hollywood blonde bombshell from the peak of her career:

The public is in disbelief over Fonda's new look because she was deemed Hollywood's 90s "Pin-Up" girl at the pinnacle of her career. Her enchanting beauty was something else Fonda was known for, and due to recent sightings of the star, fans are rendered incapable of recognizing her.

In 2020 Fonda and Elfman decided to sell their mansions in LA for $14.6 million and moved to their family ranch with their son Oliver.

Quiet Life On Ranch

Fonda's decision to step away from the spotlight prompted her and her husband to buy a ranch in Santa Barbara and move there. The initial plan that the couple had involved only staying at their farm for a month during the lockdown.

However, after the month had come and gone, the couple decided to make the Santa Barbara ranch their primary home. Fonda and her family currently live in the high-end suburbs of Los Angeles.

When speaking on the move to Santa Barbara during the height of the pandemic, Elfman describes how it happened when the musician was actively rehearsing with his band. During an interview with The Ringer, the "Desperate Housewives" score composer explained how the move enabled him to open Pandora's box (an analogy he used to describe the creative influx that happened during this time):

"I just started going at it. Once that happened, it was like everything [had] disappeared. It was really weird because I didn't expect that. I've used the analogy many times of opening up Pandora's box, but this really was. It was like once I opened the box, it just wasn't closing, and the stuff was just pouring out."

Elfman has worked with the likes of Tim Burton, Sam Raimi, and Gus Van Sant. His score projects span popular films such as "Batman," "Wednesday," "Spider-Man," and "Spider-Man 2", just to name a few. The American composer is also widely known for being the former lead singer in the 1980s pop group Oingo Boingo. Elfman has also been the recipient of two Emmys, a Grammy, and a Disney Legend Award.

In 2020 Fonda and Elfman decided to sell their mansions in LA for $14.6 million (one sold for $8.8 million and the other garnered $5.8 million) and move to their family ranch with their son Oliver. The luxury mansions were previously bought separately by Fonda and Elfman, respectively, then conjoined into a single unit.

Both properties boast unique and bespoke designs and decor that the couple picked out themselves. The renovations made to the larger property totaled $3 million.

The happy couple resides with their son, Oliver, in the upper-echelon suburb of Encino in Los Angeles. Their neighborhood is home to many other A-listers like Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra, Selena Gomez, and Gwen Stefani.

Fonda continues to focus on her life at home, raising her son and spending time with her husband. Though it is not anticipated that she will return to Hollywood, Fonda is very much focused on family life with her son, her husband, and their adorable animals.