Who Was Ted Turner Married To? Inside the CNN Founder’s Three Marriages

Few media executives shaped modern television the way Ted Turner did. The outspoken entrepreneur transformed cable television by launching CNN, the world’s first 24-hour news network, and built a business empire that included sports franchises, entertainment channels, and vast land holdings.

But beyond his corporate legacy, Turner’s personal life drew public fascination for decades — especially his high-profile marriage to actress and activist Jane Fonda. As tributes poured in following Turner’s death at age 87 on May 6, 2026, renewed attention turned toward the women he married and the relationships that defined different chapters of his life.

Turner was married three times during his lifetime. His marriages spanned more than four decades and included family life, public controversies, political differences, and enduring friendships that lasted even after divorce.

Ted Turner’s First Marriage: Julia Gale Nye

Turner’s first wife was Julia Gale Nye. The couple married in 1960, long before Turner became a global media figure. At the time, he was still building his business career after taking over the family advertising company.

Their marriage produced two children, Laura Turner and Robert Edward “Teddy” Turner IV. However, the relationship ended after only four years, with the couple divorcing in 1964.

Although little public attention surrounded this marriage compared to Turner’s later relationships, it marked the beginning of his role as a father — something that remained important throughout his life. Turner would eventually become the patriarch of a large family that included five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

His Longest Marriage: Jane Shirley Smith

After his divorce from Julia Gale Nye, Turner married Jane Shirley Smith in 1965. This became his longest marriage, lasting more than two decades before ending in 1988.

Together, the couple had three children: Rhett, Reed Beauregard “Beau,” and Jennie.

These years coincided with Turner’s rise from regional businessman to one of the most influential figures in American media. During this era, he purchased struggling television stations, created the TBS superstation, acquired the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks, and eventually launched CNN in 1980.

While Turner’s business empire expanded rapidly, his intense work habits became legendary. According to accounts published after his death, he often slept at CNN headquarters during the network’s early years and devoted nearly every waking hour to building the company.

The marriage ultimately ended in divorce in 1988, just before Turner entered the most publicly scrutinized relationship of his life.

The Marriage That Captured America’s Attention: Jane Fonda

When Turner began dating Jane Fonda around 1990, many observers considered the pairing unlikely. Turner was known as a conservative Southern billionaire nicknamed “The Mouth of the South,” while Fonda was a liberal Hollywood activist famous for her outspoken political views.

Yet the relationship quickly became one of the most talked-about celebrity romances of the era.

Fonda later explained their connection by saying, “Ted can keep up with me. He’s a very, very funny, lovable, complicated person.”

The couple married in 1991 at Turner’s 8,100-acre Avalon plantation in Florida. Their union blended two already-established families: Fonda brought three children from previous marriages, while Turner had five children from his earlier relationships.

For years, the marriage symbolized the collision of Hollywood celebrity, political activism, and media power.

Why Their Relationship Fascinated the Public

The Turner-Fonda marriage stood out because both figures were already icons in their own fields.

By the early 1990s:

• Turner had revolutionized cable television through CNN
• Fonda was a two-time Academy Award winner
• Both were outspoken political personalities
• Both were heavily involved in philanthropy and activism

Friends and observers often described the relationship as passionate, energetic, and deeply emotional.

In her memoir My Life So Far, Fonda described moments of intense closeness between them, recalling nights filled with laughter and emotional connection.

Former President Jimmy Carter also commented on the relationship, saying the pair eventually “evolved into one of the nicest romances that I’ve ever known about.”

Why Ted Turner and Jane Fonda Divorced

Despite their public chemistry, the marriage eventually encountered major strains.

Fonda later wrote that she discovered Turner had been unfaithful shortly after their wedding. They remained together for years afterward, but growing personal and philosophical differences widened the gap between them.

Religion also became a source of tension. Fonda’s decision to become a Christian reportedly created disagreements within the marriage.

In 2000, the couple announced their separation in a joint statement:

“While we continue to be committed to the long-term success of our marriage, we find ourselves at a juncture where we must each take some personal time for ourselves.”

Fonda officially filed for divorce in 2001, describing the marriage as “irretrievably broken.”

Later reflections suggested the split involved more than politics or religion alone. Fonda said she could no longer live entirely within Turner’s fast-moving world, which involved constant travel among his many properties and an intense lifestyle centered around his ambitions.

Why Jane Fonda Still Called Him “My Favorite Ex-Husband”

One of the most remarkable aspects of their story was what happened after the divorce.

Unlike many celebrity breakups, Turner and Fonda remained close friends for years afterward. Fonda famously referred to him as:

“My favorite ex-husband!”

She also explained:

“Life is too short to be fighting.”

Even decades after their separation, Fonda continued speaking warmly about Turner. During a 2025 charity event connected to the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential (GCAPP), an organization they founded together in 1995, she became emotional while discussing his support.

“It was a very challenging time in Georgia,” Fonda said. “Had I not been with Ted, this was something, had he not stood by me with his love and support, we never would have survived.”

Their enduring friendship became one of the defining narratives of Turner’s later life.

Ted Turner’s Legacy Beyond Marriage

Although questions about Turner’s marriages continue to attract interest, his influence stretched far beyond his personal relationships.

He founded CNN in 1980, permanently changing how news was delivered around the world. He also launched TNT, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies, while owning the Atlanta Braves during their rise to becoming “America’s Team.”

Turner later became one of the largest private landowners in North America, overseeing approximately two million acres dedicated partly to conservation and bison restoration efforts.

His philanthropy also became legendary. In 1997, he pledged $1 billion to the United Nations — one of the largest charitable donations ever made at the time.

Even as health problems emerged later in life, including a diagnosis of Lewy body dementia in 2018, Turner remained a towering figure in media, conservation, and philanthropy.

Remembering the Women Who Shared Ted Turner’s Life

Ted Turner’s three marriages reflected different eras of an extraordinary life.

• Julia Gale Nye was part of his earliest years before fame.
• Jane Shirley Smith stood beside him during the explosive growth of his media empire.
• Jane Fonda became his most famous partner and, ultimately, one of his closest lifelong friends.

Together, those relationships helped shape the public and private story of a man who changed television history while living one of the most colorful lives in modern American media.

As tributes continue following his death, Turner’s marriages remain an important part of understanding the person behind the empire — ambitious, complicated, deeply emotional, and unforgettable.