Jane Fonda is remembering a relationship that stayed meaningful long after it changed shape. Ted Turner, the CNN founder and environmentalist, died on Wednesday, May 6, at 87 after a 2018 diagnosis of Lewy body dementia, according to People Magazine. Fonda, now 88, was married to Turner from 1991 to 2001, but their bond continued well beyond the end of their marriage. In the years after their split, she spoke openly about the affection, respect and shared work that still connected them.
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“I Was Never Pushy”
Jane Fonda and Ted Turner Started Dating in 1990
The actor and activist met Turner at a turning point in her personal life, shortly after her split from second husband Tom Hayden. Turner made the first move by getting her phone number and calling directly. “He wanted to know if I was available to date,” Fonda told People Magazine. At first, she hesitated, but the relationship quickly took hold. Their pairing drew attention because of their different public images, yet Fonda made clear that their connection felt natural to them and was built on humor, energy and mutual fascination.
Their 1991 Wedding Joined Two Large Families
The couple married in 1991 at Turner’s Florida plantation, Avalon, and began married life with a large blended family. Fonda had three children from earlier marriages, while Turner had five children from his previous relationships. In her memoir, Fonda later described the intensity of their romance and the joy they shared in private moments. That closeness, however, was tested early. Just one month after the wedding, she said she learned he had been unfaithful. They stayed together for years after that, trying to make the marriage work despite growing differences.
Separation Came First, Then a Respectful Divorce
By 2000, the marriage had reached a breaking point. The pair announced their separation in a joint statement that stressed care and commitment even as they stepped apart. They said, "While we continue to be committed to the long-term success of our marriage, we find ourselves at a juncture where we must each take some personal time for ourselves.” Fonda filed for divorce in April 2001, citing an irretrievably broken marriage. Even then, the tone between them stayed warm, setting the stage for an unusually friendly post-divorce relationship.
Jane Fonda Kept Ted Turner Close in Her Life
That connection lasted for decades. Fonda once referred to Turner as her “favorite ex-husband,” and later said she still had a very good relationship with him. In late 2024, she spoke about him again while honoring the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential, the charity they founded together in 1995. As reported by People Magazine, she said, "Ted's not here, but he is here in my heart and I know he is here in a lot of our hearts." It was a simple tribute to a marriage that ended, but never fully disappeared.
