Ted Turner’s love life has seen significant changes after he divorced Jane Fonda in 2001.
Jane Fonda had been Ted’s wife since 1991, but she decided to end their marriage. She explained that Ted had a belief that love meant someone always being with him, like babysitting, and she disagreed with this view.
Their relationship started to fall apart when Ted Turner found spirituality and became a Christian. In 2018, Jane Fonda discussed her decision to end their marriage in a documentary called “Jane Fonda in Five Acts,” broadcast on HBO.
She mentioned that Ted was an attractive and brilliant man who had amassed vast wealth, owning two million acres of land by the time they separated. Despite all this, she felt she couldn’t be her true self while married to Ted.
Turner wasted no time in transitioning from his third marriage. He initiated a relationship with Frederique D’Arragon in 2000 during his separation from Fonda. D’Arragon’s intriguing qualities as a French-born artist and adventurer greatly captivated Turner. Their initial encounter dates back to 1969 during his days as a yachtsman.
Over the years, the two remained close friends, initially choosing to keep their romantic involvement discreet. It wasn’t until 2003 that they decided to go public with their relationship. “He didn’t want any publicity… And now publicity is welcome,” D’Arragon revealed to the Chicago Tribune. Subsequently, Turner’s romantic entanglements with other women would eventually create sensational headlines.
Turner’s Unconventional Love Triangle and Robert Olen Butler’s Candid Email
In 2007, Turner ignited a whirlwind of attention when he embarked on a romantic journey with renowned author Elizabeth Dewberry, marking a significant chapter in their lives. This romance gained unparalleled attention due to Dewberry’s decision to leave her husband, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Olen Butler, to be with Turner.
Adding a layer of complexity to this love story, Butler chose an unconventional approach to announce their separation by sending a candid email to faculty and graduate students.
Butler’s email, which quickly circulated in the media, left readers in astonishment.
“Put down your cup of coffee or you might spill it. Elizabeth is leaving me for Ted Turner,” he bluntly stated in the email, openly sharing personal details about their relationship. He mentioned his profound impact on Dewberry’s life, noting, “I was able to help her a great deal. She says I saved her life,” while also revealing that Dewberry had approved the email’s contents.
Butler went on to shed light on the unique dating arrangement agreed upon by Dewberry and Turner: “She will not be Ted’s only girlfriend. Ted is permanently and avowedly non-monogamous.” He emphasized that Dewberry’s role as Turner’s girlfriend was expected to occupy “about a week a month,” all the while emphasizing the amicable nature of their separation.
Subsequently, Butler clarified his motives behind the email, asserting that it was intended to dispel any notion that Dewberry was driven by Turner’s wealth. In an interview with NPR in 2007, he stated, “I mean, this is not news. Everyone knew that Ted had many women on his arm.” Turner himself eventually addressed his unconventional approach to relationships, shedding light on his arrangement of maintaining multiple girlfriends simultaneously.
Ted Turner’s Love Life and Balancing Multiple Relationships
In 2012, Ted Turner talked openly about his romantic life in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. He shared that he had four girlfriends, each spending about a week with him every month. When asked if these women were happy with this arrangement, he said, “Kind of.”
Except for Elizabeth Dewberry, he didn’t mention the names of his other girlfriends. At that time, Turner, who had been married three times before, stated that he had no plans to get married again, saying, “I’ve been married three times, and, like in baseball, three strikes and you’re out.”
Not only did Turner have four girlfriends, but he was also still in touch with Jane Fonda, whom he spoke to every month. Turner talked about moving on after his breakup with Fonda, saying, “I couldn’t do anything else. What am I supposed to do, sit down and cry? I did that for six months.”
After the interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Turner had a conversation with Piers Morgan on CNN, where they discussed the challenges of dating four women simultaneously. Turner joked, “Hopefully, they won’t all leave me at once.”
Morgan asked how Turner managed to balance these relationships, and Turner replied with a chuckle, “With great difficulty. First and foremost, they’re good friends, especially with me. Most of the time.”