Jane Fonda has paid a heartfelt tribute to her ex-husband Ted Turner, calling him “gloriously handsome” in a warm reflection on their past relationship.
The founder of CNN and Turner Broadcasting System, Ted Turner, has died at 87, Turner Enterprises confirmed on May 6.
Fonda, his ex-wife, paid tribute in a statement shared on Instagram.
"He swept into my life, a gloriously handsome, deeply romantic, swashbuckling pirate and I've never been the same," Fonda, 88, began in her lengthy tribute.
She added, "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."
"He could also take care of me," Fonda continued.
She noted, "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."’
Fonda reflected on her marriage to Turner, saying he taught her deeply about nature, business, and strategy, describing him as highly competitive, intensely driven, and someone she found both challenging and inspiring.
Jane Fonda was married to Ted Turner from 1991 to 2001.
