Jane Fonda once shared her initial confusion upon reading the script, questioning why the mother character was portrayed so negatively. To bring depth to the role, she crafted a backstory for her character, Viola. Reflecting on Viola’s dramatic nature and frequent outbursts, Fonda revealed, “I picked up some of that exaggerated behavior from Ted.”

In a conversation with LiveAbout, she elaborated, “Ted is probably the only person I’ve known who has apologized more than I have. He’s an absolute riot, outrageously unapologetic, and yet utterly charming. I had never encountered anyone quite like him. So, when I had the chance to portray Viola, it felt like I had the green light to embrace that level of theatricality, as I understood what it could look like.”

Fonda clarified, “I don’t mean to imply that because the movie is titled Monster-in-Law that Ted is a monster. I adore him and we share a close friendship.”

Despite their friendship, Fonda’s 2005 memoir, My Life So Far, revealed that Turner had a history of infidelity. Reflecting on their relationship in a 2018 interview with The New Yorker, Fonda expressed, “Leaving was incredibly difficult—I was 62, had no career, and was well taken care of. However, I realized that staying would prevent me from becoming the complete, authentic person I aspired to be. I tried to explain this to him, but he couldn’t fully grasp it.”