Jane Fonda: ‘Newsroom’ Character ‘Rupert Murdoch that’s been marinated in a little Ted Turner’

By Alex Weprin 

Actress Jane Fonda is a guest on tomorrow’s edition of “Katie,” and among other things she talks to Katie Couric about her character on the HBO series “The Newsroom.” Fonda plays Leona Lansing, the CEO of Atlantis World Media, the parent company of Atlantis Cable News. Fonda, of course, was once married to Ted Turner, the founder of CNN.

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JF: it’s so good! Jeff Daniels, Sam Waterson, Emily Mortimer, Aaron Sorkin writes it and I play Rupert Murdoch that’s been marinated in a little Ted Turner for a while.”

KC: “Yeah, what— did you learn anything from your marriage to Ted that you’re…”

JF: “Well, what I’ve learned that helps me with this is to just not be intimidated. You know what I mean? I can own this character who’s not just in charge of a news thing, the news division, you know, it’s three percent of her bottom line. She owns things in China, Canada, all over the world. But, she’s huge!”

KC: “She’s a mogul.”

JF: “She’s a– I am. I like playing a mogul.”

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