Jane Fonda Pays Tribute to Ex-Husband Ted Turner After His Passing, Sharing 5 Personal Facts

Jane Fonda is mourning Ted Turner with an emotional tribute that revealed surprising details about their complicated relationship. The actress shared five personal insights after the CNN founder's death.

Jane Fonda's first thoughts after Ted Turner's death were not about CNN or his billion-dollar empire. Instead, she remembered "a gloriously handsome, deeply romantic, swashbuckling pirate."

The actress shared an emotional tribute after the Turner family announced that the media pioneer died peacefully at age 87. The family confirmed the news in a statement published on his official website. No cause of death was disclosed.

While Turner was best known as the founder of CNN, TNT, Cartoon Network, and TCM, Fonda focused on the man she knew behind the public image.

"He had a big life," Fonda wrote in her Instagram tribute, describing his "brilliant mind" and "soaring sense of humor."

She also reflected on how deeply he cared for her during their relationship.

"He could also take care of me. That was new as well," she wrote. "To be needed and cared for simultaneously is transformative."

Fonda said Turner showed a level of vulnerability that surprised her. "Men like Ted aren't supposed to express need and vulnerability," she wrote. "That was Ted's greatest strength, I believe."

The actress also credited Turner with teaching her about wildlife conservation, business strategy, hunting, fishing, and history. She described him as "supremely strategic," saying his studies of military history and years of competitive sailing shaped the way he approached business.

One of the most revealing moments in Fonda's tribute came when she described Turner's intense competitive streak.

"Next to Katharine Hepburn, Ted was the most competitive person I have ever met," she wrote.

Fonda recalled that Turner turned nearly everything into a challenge, from skiing to business achievements. Despite the difficulties, she said life with him was often rewarding.

"Ted was challenging, but I've always been up for a challenge, and with Ted it was almost always worth it," she wrote.

The tribute later turned to Turner's environmental work, which Fonda praised with admiration. She wrote that she imagines him reunited with the wildlife he helped protect, including wolves, bison, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets.

The Turner family's statement also highlighted his environmental and philanthropic legacy. It noted that Turner donated more than $1 billion to charitable causes and preserved over two million acres of land.

The family described him as a man with an "endearing sense of humor" and "undying loyalty to those around him."

Jane Fonda ended her tribute by reflecting on the blended family they built together. She said she remained close to Turner's children and understood the importance of stepmothers because she had four herself while growing up.

"If it was complicated to be married to him, think how complicated it was being his child," she wrote.

Ted Turner is survived by his five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, according to the family statement. A private service is planned, with a public memorial to be announced later.