Jane Fonda pays heartfelt tribute after ex-husband Ted Turner dies at 87
LAMONT, FLORIDA: Actress Jane Fonda has reacted to the death of her ex-husband and CNN founder Ted Turner, who passed away at the age of 87, reflecting in her tribute on their relationship and describing him as a deeply romantic and influential figure in her life.
Fonda, who was married to him from 1991 to 2001, shared emotional memories and acknowledged his impact on her personal growth. His passing on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, followed a long, progressive battle with Lewy body dementia, a degenerative brain disorder diagnosed in 2018.
Jane Fonda remembers Ted Turner as deeply romantic and influential
The actress began her Instagram tribute by writing, “My immediate thoughts about Ted: He swept into my life, a gloriously handsome, deeply romantic, swashbuckling pirate, and I’ve never been the same. No one had ever let me know they needed me."
She continued, "this wasn’t your average human being that needed me, this was the creator of CNN, and Turner Classic Movies, who had won the America’s Cup as the world’s greatest sailor. He had a big life, a brilliant mind and a soaring sense of humor."
For Fonda, he helped her believe in herself, as she recounted, “He gave me confidence. I think I did the same for him, but that’s what women are raised to do. Men like Ted aren’t supposed to express need and vulnerability. That was Ted’s greatest strength, I believe.”
Along with the television producer teaching Fonda everything from “hunting” to “business and strategy,” she noted that he was also “the most competitive person” she had ever met next to actress Katharine Hepburn. She also shared, “Ted was challenging, but I’ve always been up for a challenge, and with Ted it was almost always worth it.”
She further expressed, “I loved Ted with all my heart,” adding, “I see him in heaven now with all the wildlife he helped bring back from extinction.” Giving a nod to his children, Laura, Teddy, Rhett, Beau and Jennie, the activist stated, “Five children survive him. Five talented, complex kids who I had the privilege of becoming stepmother to.”
Fonda noted that they “all did their best” to create an extended “rag tag family” and said she loves them “to this day.”
Ted Turner’s dementia battle and television legacy remembered after death
Fonda mused, “If it was complicated being married to him, think about how complicated it was being his child,” before adding, “And they are all doing fine. Rest in Peace dearest Ted. You are loved and you will be remembered.”
Despite divorcing after a decade of marriage, the 'Monster-in-Law' actress had previously referred to Turner as her “favorite” former spouse. While attending a charity auction in 2001, Fonda reportedly called out to her former flame, “My favorite ex-husband!”
In 2018, after Turner revealed his Lewy body diagnosis, a neurological disorder that causes dementia and muscle failure, the '9 to 5' star shared a touching message about him, telling CNN, “I will never love anyone like I love him.”
Prior to his death, the media mogul was reportedly in a rehab center in early 2025 after contracting pneumonia. Turner made waves in television for decades after founding Turner Broadcasting System in 1965 and CNN in 1980. He also formerly owned the baseball team Atlanta Braves.
President Donald Trump confirmed Turner’s passing on Truth Social Wednesday morning, calling the television pioneer “one of the Greats of All Time” who was “always willing to fight for a good cause.”
