Oscar-winning actress and filmmaker Diane Keaton has died at the age of 79. Keaton, who was born in Los Angeles, passed away in California on Saturday, a family spokesperson confirmed to People magazine.
Producer and friend Dori Rath confirmed the actress’s death to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
A Legendary Career
Keaton’s career spanned over five decades, establishing her as one of Hollywood’s most distinctive and celebrated talents. She first shot to fame in the 1970s through her pivotal role as Kay Adams-Corleone in The Godfather films.
She secured her place in cinematic history and earned the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1978 for her performance in Annie Hall. For that role, she also took home the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical Motion Picture and the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Her extensive filmography includes beloved classics and box-office hits such as:
- Father of the Bride
- First Wives Club
- The Family Stone
- Because I Said So
- Something’s Gotta Give (for which she received a Best Actress Oscar nomination)
- Numerous collaborations with Woody Allen, including Play It Again, Sam, Sleeper, Love and Death, and Manhattan.
Her most recent film appearance was in the 2024 comedy, Summer Camp, where she starred alongside Eugene Levy and Kathy Bates.
Director and Style Icon
Keaton also explored her talents behind the camera, directing films such as the 1987 documentary Heaven, and the 1995 comedy-drama Unstrung Heroes, which was selected for the Cannes Film Festival. She later directed the 2000 comedy-drama Hanging Up, starring herself, Meg Ryan, and Lisa Kudrow.
Known for her unique and highly influential fashion sense both on and off-screen, Keaton’s style often featured menswear and her signature wide-brimmed hats.
Tributes from the Industry
Tributes from her colleagues and friends have poured in, celebrating her talent and personality.
Her First Wives Club co-star Bette Midler wrote on Instagram: “The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me. She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile…”
Fellow co-star Goldie Hawn shared her heartbreak: “How do we say goodbye? What words can come to mind when your heart is broken?… There was, and will be, no one like you.”
Actor Ben Stiller paid tribute on X, writing: “Diane Keaton. One of the greatest film actors ever. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.”
Keaton received three other Oscar nominations throughout her career for Something’s Gotta Give, Marvin’s Room, and Reds. She never married and is survived by her two adopted children, daughter Dexter and son Duke.
Source: BBC
