In some ways, actress Jane Fonda and business mogul Ted Turner were a fiery match. Each was blessed with a robust ego. They were passionate go-getters. Their massive drive and ambition equaled their talent. He was a communications visionary who founded CNN. She's an two-time Academy Award-winning star who speaks out emotionally about causes dear to her. You would think they hardly had time for romance.
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Yet even though their 10-year marriage (1991-2001) ended in divorce, Fonda and Turner's genuine feelings for each other never really ceased. In fact, per People, Fonda, 88, once affectionately referred to Turner as "my favorite ex husband." Ted Turner died on May 6, 2026, at the age of 87. Therefore, this is a good time to look back at the ultimate '90s power pair.
At First, Fonda Wasn't Impressed With Turner's Advances
In 1990, Fonda's marriage to politician and 1960s activist Tom Hayden was over. But she initially deflected Turner's overtures. Per the outlet at that time, she said, "He wanted to know if I was available to date. I think I said I wasn't feeling so hot, that he was an interesting guy, too, but I wasn't feeling peppy."
Still, the two became an item. They seemed to be in sync with each other. Fonda summed up the attraction. ''Ted can keep up with me. He's a very, very funny, lovable, complicated person.''
She also described their intense bond on her book, My Life So Far (2005). "There were times when something would set us to laughing so hard we'd sink to the floor, like the night when our guffaws collapsed us at the foot of the Gone With the Wind staircase at his plantation and we had to crawl up to bed on hands and knees."
His Alleged Infidelity Helped To Doom Their Marriage
Per the outlet, Jane Fonda reportedly contended that Ted Turner "was unfaithful" just a month into their marriage. "They stayed together for several more years, but eventually their differences — including her decision to become a Christian — drove them apart."
The couple split in 2000, a year before they divorced. A joint statement from them at the time observed, "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." However, they called it quits in 2001 when she filed for divorce.
