Jane Fonda mourns the loss of her 'deeply romantic' former husband Ted Turner

Jane Fonda has broken her silence after the death of her former husband, Ted Turner.

On May 6, 2026, Turner, the founder of CNN, passed away at the age of 87 after a long battle with Lewy body dementia, a disease he had been battling with since 2018.

Taking to her Instagram soon after the tragic news of her ex-husband’s passing broke, Fonda, who had been married to him from 1991 to 2001, penned a heartfelt note to pay Turner an homage.

The 88-year-old American actress and activist began, "He swept into my life, a gloriously handsome, deeply romantic, swashbuckling pirate and I've never been the same.”

She wrote, "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."

Living life with Turner was “transformative” for her, as he used to take care of Fonda, which was a new experience for her altogether.

“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,” the Barbarella star admitted.

What Fonda learnt under the wings of Turner was way greater than “any other person or school classes” taught her.

She explained, "Ted was supremely strategic. It was likely innate, but he studied the Classics in college, knew about the Peleponesian War inside and out and the strategies used by Alexander the Great and even Genghis Khan. And sailing big boats as he did further honed those strategic talents which he then brought into his businesses to much success. He could see around corners for sure."

"Ted was challenging, but I've always been up for a challenge, and with Ted it was almost always worth it,” Jane Fonda concluded with a surprising confession.