Ted Turner and Jane Fonda Divorced in 2001 — But Remained Friends Until His Death

Media Mogul and founder of Turner Classic Movies, Ted Turner, died on May 6, 2026, and his fans want to know more about his life, including Ted's relationship with his famous, movie-star ex-wife, Jane Fonda.

Jane and Ted were married for 10 years before they divorced, and he never married again, reportedly due to his love for many, many ladies.

The businessman once said he had several girlfriends concurrently, and he stayed single after his third divorce. Ted was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia back in 2018, and he was 87 at the time of his death.

Ted reportedly called Jane when he learned that she was getting divorced from her husband, Tom Hayden, back in 1990, per WSB-TV News. Ted was fishing buddies with former President Jimmy Carter, and he told Ted that he heard Jane was divorcing.

Jane recalled hearing from Ted amid her divorce in a CNN documentary.

“I pick up the phone," she recalled. "This booming voice. ‘Is it true?’ And I said, ‘Is what true?’ You and Hayden, are you divorcing?’ 'Yes.' ‘Do you want to go out?’”

Ted also weighed in. “She said ‘I’m devastated and I don’t want to talk about going out.'"

“I said I’m actually in the middle of a nervous breakdown," said Jane. "'Call me in six months.' I thought, this guy is crazy, this is not what I want to hear right now."

Ted did call six months to the day later. "She agreed to have dinner with me. It was love at first sight."

Jane wrote in her book My Life So Far about the couple's lovemaking.

“With Ted, there were lovemaking times when we'd lock eyes and melt into one," she shared. "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."

Despite the romantic beginning of their relationship, it did not last.

Jane divorced Ted after 10 years of marriage, according to People. She learned that Ted had been unfaithful just one month after getting married back in 1991, but she stayed with him for several years before separating in 2000. They divorced in 2001.

“Ted and I were running into marital problems, and I thought I’m gonna leave him. I was terrified,” she said.

“I was 62 years old, and I hadn’t worked in like,15 years," she added. "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," she continued. "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. ... We had a great time for 10 years. I am, I just am so happy that I got to spend 10 years with him."

Jane didn't walk away empty-handed, though.

According to International Business Times, her divorce settlement was worth $100 million in cash and stock. The former couple remained friends after the divorce, and neither remarried.