Pittsburgh Speaker Series kicks off this week, without Jane Fonda

The slate for this season’s Pittsburgh Speakers Series at Heinz Hall features an Emmy-winning TV host, a Hollywood legend, and an explorer/filmmaker.

Van Jones, CNN host and president of Magic Labs Media, will kick off the Speaker Series this week on Wednesday.

The Emmy Award-winning producer and political commentator worked with the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations to help pass the Green Jobs Act and the First Step Act.

Opening night was to feature Oscar winning actor Jane Fonda, but Jones and Fonda have traded places. Fonda will speak on Oct. 25.

Fonda is a two-time Academy Award-winning actor, author, producer, activist, and fitness guru. Most recently, she can be seen in “Grace & Frankie,” Netflix’s longest-running original series.

This is the 21st year of the series, presented by the University of Pittsburgh, which has featured former presidents, prime ministers, best-selling authors, historians, scientists, and entertainers.

Upcoming speakers are former congressman and member of the Jan. 6 Committee Adam Kinzinger, former Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, Yale professor and host of The Happiness Lab podcast Laurie Santos, and presidential historian Michael Beschloss.

The series will close with environmentalist, explorer and filmmaker Céline Cousteau on April 10.

Cousteau has directed and produced over 20 films and was a member of the World Economic Forum Council on Oceans.

For more information, visit pittsburghspeakers.org or contact the Heinz Hall box office.