ted danson jane fonda© Photo: Getty Images

Mr Mayor star Ted Danson discusses getting arrested with Jane Fonda

The actor was handcuffed after taking part in Fire Drill Fridays

TV & Film Writer
January 28, 2021

Ted Danson has opened up about the "exciting" first time that he was ever arrested alongside Jane Fonda, when the two attended a climate change protest.

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The legendary comedy actor, who stars in new NBC sitcom Mr Mayor, reflected on the moment which he says "changed his life" when he stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show this week for a chat.

"You can see it was kind of an exciting moment that I delighted in," the 73-year-old actor said as a photo of him in zip ties appeared on the screen. "Mostly because I was with Jane Fonda."

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Ted then went on to praise the 83-year-old actress and activist who was arrested five times in 2019 while protesting against climate change in Washington, D.C. "She's turned into being one of my real inspirations in life," he said, explaining that Jane's dedication to environmental issues inspired the actor to step up his own activism.

© Photo: Getty Images

Ted was arrested in 2019 during a climate change protest in Washington, D.C.

"What it did for me is I think that I had been hiding behind, 'Oh, I work on ocean issues. I have for 30 years. I'm saving the oceans' kind of thing. I think that arrest made me want to double down on climate change," he said. "It meant a lot to meet her. It kind of changed my life."

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© NBC

Ted is currently starring in new sitcom Mr Mayor

Ted also talked about celebrating a milestone anniversary with wife Mary Steenburgen who he tied the knot with 25 years ago. He revealed that he and Mary's families, including her son Charlie McDowell who is engaged to actress Lily Collins, all got tested for COVID before getting together for a "great little celebration".

Speaking about Mary, who he met while starring together in the 1994 movie Pontiac Moon, the actor said: "I knew from the day we met that I didn't want to be with anybody else but her."

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