Jane Fonda and Ted Turner had one of Hollywood’s most notorious marriages. The couple was together for 10 years, divorcing in the early aughts and maintaining a friendly relationship throughout their lives. Turner, an entrepreneur and the founder of CNN, died on Wednesday. He was 87 years old.
The news was confirmed in a release from Turner Enterprises, revealing that he died peacefully near his home in Tallahassee, Florida, surrounded by his family. A cause of death hasn’t been disclosed.
Turner was born in Ohio and was known for his outspoken nature, revolutionizing cable news. He began building a media empire when he was 24, buying radio stations and branching out into television. His work ultimately led to CNN, the first 24-hour news channel. His empire now includes Turner Network Television (TNT), Turner Classic Movies (TCM), and Cartoon Network.
He’s survived by five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Turner and Fonda began their relationship in 1989, marrying a few years later. Through their years together, the couple founded various non-profit organizations and worked in philanthropy, a subject that both have been linked with over their lives.
© Jared SiskinMore about Ted and Jane’s relationship
Turner and Fonda began dating when the two were at the peak of their careers and notoriety. Turner was twice divorced and had five grown kids.
“At first they didn’t get along at all,” said President Jimmy Carter, per CNN. “In fact, they didn’t like each other. I heard this from both of them. It was months later before they decided to try again. And they evolved into one of the nicest romances that I’ve ever known about.”
Since their split, Fonda has spoken fondly of Turner. “I would never love anyone like I love him,” she said. “But I just couldn’t keep moving in his world, along the surface for the rest of my life. I knew that I would get to the end of my life and regret not doing the things that I also needed to do for me.”
Following their divorce, Turner lost control of his media empire. “I lost Jane. I lost my job here. I lost my fortune, most of it. Got a billion or two left. You can get by on that if you economize,” he said in an interview with Piers Morgan in 2012. “We were so far apart philosophically, we couldn’t do it,” he said of trying to make it work with Fonda.
© Getty ImagesWhen Jane knew she had to leave
Last October, Fonda discussed her split from Turner again, sharing that it was a difficult decision. “When Ted and I were running into marital problems and I thought I’m gonna leave him. I was terrified,” she said at Fran Drescher’s Health Summit.
“I was 62 years old and I hadn’t worked in like 15 years and I had no career and I had one angel on this shoulder saying to me, ‘Come on, Fonda. He’s cute, he’s rich, he can take care of you, he’s fun.’
“And on the other shoulder, in a very tiny little voice was one angel saying, ‘You’ll regret it if you stay at the end. You’re never gonna become who you can be. You’ll regret it.’ And scared as I was, I left and it was hard.”
The couple remained friends, with Fonda notably referring to him as her “favorite ex-husband.”
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