When I say the name Jane Goodall, most people I know tend to smile. She inspired so many with her selfless work for animals and tireless commitment to serving others. She passed away at the age of 91 on September 30, 2025, and she leaves behind a remarkable legacy. She was well-loved for her work as a scientist, humanitarian, and conservationist. In fact, The New York Times called her “one of the world’s most revered conservationists”. She was admired by millions across the globe, including global leaders and celebrities.
Jane Goodall liked to talk about how you can impact the world each day that you live in it, and it’s clear that she did just that as she touched many lives. Here are some of the celebrity tributes that reveal a lot about Goodall’s work and her lasting legacy.
Jane Fonda remembered Jane Goodall as ‘history-making’ and encourages others to honor her
Jane Fonda posted a photo that depicted her with Jane Goodall and shared, “My heart breaks at the news that the brave, heartful, history-making Jane Goodall has passed. Through her work with chimps, she did more than any human being has, to let us understand the richness of animal lives: their intelligence, skills, unique personalities, use of tools, empathy, suffering when one of theirs was killed.”
She continued, “I loved her very much. I think the best way we can honor her life is to treat the earth and all its beings like our family, with love and respect.”
The Jane Goodall Institute posted a comment on Fonda’s Instagram post that thanked her for honoring Dr. Jane Goodall.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remembered Jane Goodall as a friend to the planet and to them
PEOPLE reported that Prince Harry and Meghan said in a statement, “Dr. Jane Goodall DBE was a visionary humanitarian, scientist, friend to the planet, and friend to us. Her commitment to changing lives extends beyond what the world saw, and also to what we personally felt.”
“She held our son, Archie, when he was first born, and showered love and care to those who were privileged to know her. She will be deeply missed,” they concluded.
Michael Douglas posted about his admiration for her ‘unwavering dedication to our planet’
Michael Douglas shared a photo of him standing next to Jane Goodall, and he posted, “RIP to my fellow UN Messenger of Peace, Dr. Jane Goodall. Her legacy will forever be remembered for her unwavering dedication to our planet. My deepest condolences to the Goodall family.”
Ellen DeGeneres posted an interview with Jane Goodall and remembered her for all the good she’s done
Ellen DeGeneres shared a clip from when Jane Goodall appeared on her talk show, and she simply stated, “Thank you Jane for all the good you’ve done. You broke barriers for women all over the world.”
Hillary Clinton shared how she admired Jane Goodall for her work to protect the planet and how she broke glass ceilings
Alongside a photo of Jane Goodall with herself, Chelsea, and others at a Clinton Global Initiative convening, Hillary Clinton posted a tribute to the conservationist in Instagram. She wrote, “For over 60 years, Jane Goodall was a force for research about our precious planet—and climate change action to protect it—while breaking glass ceilings along the way.”
“I’ll so miss her courage and commitment to help expand what we know about our world and preserve it for the generations to come.”
Leonardo DiCaprio remembered Jane Goodall as a dear friend, hero and ‘inspiration to millions’
Leonardo DiCaprio had a lot to say and share about his friend Jane Goodall as he remembered her in a touching tribute and several pictures of Goodall in a photo carousel.
He stated, “Today we have lost a true hero for the planet, an inspiration to millions, and a dear friend. Jane Goodall devoted her life to protecting our planet and giving a voice to the wild animals and the ecosystems they inhabit. Her groundbreaking research on Chimpanzees in Tanzania transformed our understanding of how our closest relatives live, socialize, and think—reminding us that we are deeply connected not only to Chimpanzees and the other great apes, but to all life.”
He continued, “For decades, Jane traveled the world with tireless energy, awakening generations to the wonder of the natural world. She spoke directly to the next generation, instilling hope, responsibility, and the belief that every individual can make a difference. She inspired millions to care, to act, and to hope. She never stopped.”
Di Caprio also expressed his deepest condolences to her family and invited all to join him in honoring her legacy by supporting the Jane Goodall Institute and other conservation groups she cared about.
“My last message to Jane was simple: ‘You are my hero.’ Now, we all must carry the torch for her in protecting our one shared home,” he concluded.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus remembered Jane Goodall as a ‘force’ for ‘what is good’
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who rose to fame as Elaine in Seinfeld, shared an Instagram post with a photo from her podcast Wiser Than Me. Her memorial post revealed that Jane “was a force for what is true and what is good. I am so blessed and so grateful to have crossed paths with this wise giant.”
Jann Arden mourned the loss of Jane as the world losing one of its ‘last great protectors’
Actress, singer, and activist Jann Arden shared a photo of Jane Goodall on Instagram and stated, “The world has lost one of its last great protectors. Planet earth will remember you forever, dear Jane. Meeting you and talking with you not once, but twice, was one of the honours of my life.”
She concluded her post by wishing Goodall “safe travels”.
Rosie O’Donnell recalled Jane Goodall as an ‘angel on earth’
Roise O’Donnell kept things short and sweet with her remembrance of Goodall alongside a couple of photos of the conservationist. She posted that she was an “angel on earth”, then wished Jane would rest in peace with the abbreviation “RIP”. She followed that with four heart emojis, a crying face emoji, and a peace sign emoji.
Maria Shriver recalled feeling ‘honored’ to spend time with Jane Goodall
The photo Maria Shriver shared of her with Jane Goodall seems to be of a time the two were both having a great time. She accompanied the Instagram image with a tribute, stating, “Jane Goodall was a legendary figure and a friend. I admired her, learned from her, and was so honored to get to spend time with her over the years. She stayed at her mission and on her mission. She changed the world and the lives of everyone she impacted. The world lost one of its best today, and I lost someone I adored. ♥️”
Mia Farrow remembered Jane Goodall as a ‘magnificent inspiration’
Mia Farrow expressed her dismay after she shared the news, “Jane Goodall has died.”
“She devoted her life to advocacy on behalf of chimpanzees and, after living among them, shared valuable insight into their lives. She advocated too for the well-being of other primates and the environment,” she explained.
Farrow went on to say that Farrow has been “a magnificent inspiration”, then she thanked Goodall with two hearts and a prayer emoji.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source creators.yahoo.com ’
