Jane Fonda pays emotional tribute to ex-husband Ted Turner after his death at 87

Jane Fonda has paid a heartfelt tribute to her former husband, media mogul Ted Turner, following his death at the age of 87.

Turner, the founder of CNN and a pioneering figure in global television news, passed away earlier this week, according to reports.

‘I’ve never been the same’

In an emotional statement shared on social media, Fonda remembered Turner as a larger-than-life figure who deeply changed her life. She described him as a “gloriously handsome, deeply romantic, swashbuckling pirate”, adding that she had “never been the same” after he entered her life, in an emotional Instagram post.

She wrote, "He swept into my life, a gloriously handsome, deeply romantic, swashbuckling pirate and I’ve never been the same. He needed me. No one had ever let me know they needed me, and 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."

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She added, "He could also take care of me. That was new as well. To be needed and cared for simultaneously is transformative. Ted Turner helped me believe in myself. 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."

A marriage that remained meaningful even after divorce

Fonda and Turner were married from 1991 to 2001. Despite their divorce, the actor often spoke warmly about him in later years, even referring to him as her “favourite ex-husband”.

She mentioned, "I loved Ted with all my heart. I see him in heaven now with all the wildlife he helped bring back from extinction – the black footed ferrets, the prairie dogs, Big Horned sheep, Mexican Gray Wolf, the Yellowstone wolf pack, bison, the red cockaded woodpecker and so many more, they’re all gathered at the pearly gates applauding and thanking him for saving their species. Five children survive him, five talented, complex kids who I had the privilege of becoming stepmother to. I had four stepmothers growing up and I know how important stepmothers can be, so we all did our best to build an extended, rag tag family, and I love them to this day. If it was complicated to be married to him, think how complicated it was being his child. And they are all doing fine."

She concluded the note with, "Rest in Peace, dearest Ted. You are loved and you will be remembered."

Their relationship was one of Hollywood’s most talked-about pairings at the time, bringing together Fonda’s activism and film legacy with Turner’s towering influence in media and business.

Remembering Ted Turner’s legacy

Beyond their personal relationship, Fonda praised Turner’s extraordinary accomplishments, from creating CNN and Turner Classic Movies to becoming a celebrated sailor and philanthropist.

Turner is widely regarded as one of the most influential media figures of the modern era, having revolutionised 24-hour television news through CNN’s launch in 1980.