If you’re looking for a wedding ring on Jane Fonda’s finger these days, you’re going to be looking for a very long time. Honestly, the 88-year-old icon has been pretty blunt about her status. She isn't married. She isn't dating. In her own words, she has "closed up shop down there."
It’s a fascinating turn for a woman whose life was, for decades, defined by the powerful, "interesting" men she stood beside. From French directors to political firebrands and billionaire moguls, Fonda has lived several lifetimes of romance. But now? She’s done.
The Current Reality: Why Jane Fonda is Happily Single
So, is Jane Fonda married? No. Her last marriage ended over two decades ago, and her last major romantic partnership wrapped up in 2017. Since then, she’s been incredibly vocal about the fact that she has zero desire to return to the dating pool.
"My current and next love are my girlfriends," she told SiriusXM. It’s not just a passing phase. Fonda has reached a point where the emotional labor of a traditional relationship just doesn't appeal to her anymore. She jokes about having a "drawer full of vibrators" and being happier than she’s ever been.
There’s a specific kind of freedom she talks about now—the freedom of not having to "double herself up" to fit into a man's life.
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That Viral "20-Year-Old" Comment
You might have seen the headlines about her wanting a 20-year-old lover. While it sent the internet into a tizzy, it was mostly Fonda being her usual, cheeky self. On the Absolutely Not podcast, she admitted that if she were to take a lover, he’d have to be young because she "doesn't like old skin."
But she followed it up with a reality check: she finds the idea of an 86-year-old with a 20-year-old distasteful when men do it, so she’s not actually looking to pull a reverse-Leonardo DiCaprio. It was a joke about vanity and the reality of aging, not a recruitment call.
The Three Men Who Shaped the "Old" Jane
To understand why she’s so content being single now, you have to look at the three marriages that came before. Each one represented a totally different version of Jane.
- Roger Vadim (1965–1973): The French director of Barbarella. He was the one who helped transform her into a "sex symbol." She’s admitted she was "conditioned" to identify with men then, living a life that was often more about his fantasies than her own.
- Tom Hayden (1973–1990): The activist years. She traded the glitz for a much more modest, politically charged life. They were a power couple of the anti-war movement, but the marriage ended after 17 years when Hayden reportedly told her he had fallen in love with someone else.
- Ted Turner (1991–2001): The billionaire era. Marrying the founder of CNN was, as she put it, like "marrying 15 people." She learned to fly-fish, to hunt, and to live on a massive scale. But even with all that wealth, she realized she was still losing herself to accommodate his "100 percent" needs.
The Last Great Romance: Richard Perry
After Ted Turner, most people thought she was done. Then came Richard Perry, the music producer. They started dating in 2009 after she had knee surgery (she famously quipped that she "found a lover" while recovering).
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They were together for eight years. It was, by all accounts, her most mature and sexually fulfilling relationship. She told The Sun in 2012 that she had never known true intimacy until Richard. They didn't marry, and they split amicably in 2017. Perry remains her last official partner.
Why She’s Not Looking Back
Fonda has been very transparent about why she’s out of the game. She’s realized that, historically, she wasn't great at being herself while in a relationship. She had a tendency to become whatever the man she was with wanted her to be.
At 88, she’s finally just Jane.
She spends her time on:
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- Climate Activism: Her "Fire Drill Fridays" are a full-time passion.
- Girlfriends: She prioritizes her female friendships above all else, citing them as the key to her longevity and happiness.
- Family: Staying close to her three children—Vanessa, Troy, and Mary.
There’s a certain power in an older woman saying, "I've had enough." She’s not bitter; she just feels complete. She’s lived the "happily ever after" three times over and realized the "after" is much better when she’s the one holding the remote.
If you’re looking to channel some of that Jane Fonda energy into your own life, the takeaway is pretty clear. You don't have to be "halved" to be whole. Whether you're 28 or 88, prioritizing your own values and your "inner expansion" (as she calls it) is usually a better investment than chasing a partner just to have one.
Focus on building a "community of care" like she has with her friends. It turns out, that’s the kind of love that actually lasts.
Actionable Insights:
- Audit your relationships: Are you "doubling yourself up" to fit someone else’s life?
- Prioritize platonic bonds: Long-term happiness is statistically linked more to friendship than romantic status in later years.
- Accept your phases: It's okay to "close shop" on certain parts of your life to make room for new passions, like activism or personal growth.