The actress, 88, spoke after the ceremony about the moment when Barbra Streisand appeared on stage to honour Robert Redford, who died in September, aged 89.
Streisand starred alongside Redford in the 1973 romantic drama The Way We Were.
Fonda, however, shared the screen with Redford in four films across several decades, including The Tall Story, The Chase, Barefoot in the Park and Our Souls at Night.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight at an Oscars party, Fonda joked about the decision to have Streisand deliver the tribute.
"I want to know how come Streisand was up there doing that for Redford?
"(She) only made one movie with him, I made four! I have more to say," she said.
"I was always in love with him. The most gorgeous human being and such great values."
"And he did a lot for movies, he really changed movies, lifted up independent movies."
During the ceremony, Streisand paid tribute to the Hollywood leading man before performing a rare live rendition of the song The Way We Were, more than a decade after she last sang it at the Oscars in honour of composer Marvin Hamlisch.
"He was a brilliant, subtle actor," Streisand said of her co-star.
"And we had a wonderful time playing off each other because we never quite knew what the other one was going to do in the scene."
When Redford died, Fonda shared a statement reflecting on their friendship.
"It hit me hard this morning when I read that Bob was gone. I can't stop crying."
"He meant a lot to me and was a beautiful person in every way. He stood for an America we have to keep fighting for."
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