Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winner for “Annie Hall,” who defined the film world, has died at the age of 79. Sarcastic, outspoken and unconventional, she turned vulnerability into star power and style into character.
Her death in California was first reported by People. According to TMZ, an ambulance arrived at her home just after 8 a.m. Saturday and took her to the hospital. Keaton is survived by his adopted children, Dexter and Duke;
Careers that shaped culture
Over the course of five decades, Keaton won Best Actress for Annie Hall (1977) and also garnered nominations for Reds (1981), Marvin’s Room (1996) and Something’s Gotta Give (2003). Audiences met her as Kay Adams-Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather films. They kept her close through maternal comedies like “Baby Boom” and “Father of the Bride,” and later roles in ensemble film favorites “The First Wives Club” and “The Book Club.”
Keaton and Woody Allen’s long-running collaboration spans everything from Play It Again and Sam to Sleeper, Love and Death, Interior, and Manhattan, Radio Days and Manhattan Murder Mystery. At Annie Hall, menswear combinations like loose ties, slouchy pants, and fedoras helped spice up the look. Her “Seems Like Old Times” quietly became the film’s heartbeat.
From “The Family Stone” to “Because I Said So,” “Five Flights Up” to “Summer Camp,” she veered between dark corners (“Looking for Mr. Goodbar,” “Little Drummer Girl,” “Crime of the Heart”) and unabashed crowd-pleasers. Range was the key.
Voice, technology, and curiosity
On the eve of the 2017 AFI Life Achievement Award, a review praised her “unique combination of intellect and heart, innocence and yearning that has imbued her with dozens of roles over the past 45 years,” adding, “Even when she plays the title character, the immortal Annie Hall, in a film that is a valentine to her talent and spirit, she doesn’t need to claim center stage.” It draws us in effortlessly. ”
Asked what makes it worth taking on a role in 2023, Keaton said, “It’s a character who has issues pulsating within her being. It’s also about the people[working with]the actors, the director. It all depends.” She added of a good collaborator: “(Certain people) partially allow you to stay the way you are and make you feel good about whatever you’re doing, as opposed to worrying about what’s going to happen to you. But I’ve been with you for a long time and I still like it.”
Background and director
Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles on January 5, 1946, she later took her mother’s maiden name and broke out on stage in “Hair and Play It Again Sam” (which earned her a Tony Award nomination in 1969). The film “Lovers and Other Strangers” (1970) soon followed, followed soon after by “The Godfather” (1972).
Behind the camera, she directed the documentary Heaven (1987), the feature films Unstrung Heroes (1995) and Hanging Up (2000), and appeared on television in China Beach, Twin Peaks, and Pasadena. Away from the set, she wrote and photographed and became a passionate preservationist and serial home renovator, documenting her architectural obsessions in books such as The House That Pinterest Built. “I’m so glad I didn’t get married. I’m a weirdo,” she once told People.
Tributes from collaborators and fans
Robert De Niro said in a statement that he was “so saddened to hear of Diane’s passing.” “I loved her very much and the news of her leaving us completely surprised me. I never expected her to leave us and I will miss her. May she rest in peace.”
Leonardo DiCaprio wrote: “Diane Keaton was one of a kind. She was intelligent, funny and unapologetically herself. A legend, an icon and a truly kind human being. I had the pleasure of working with her when I was 18 years old. She will be sorely missed.”
Mary Steenburgen recalled, “Diane was magical. There was and never will be anyone like her. I loved her and felt blessed to be her friend. Her love for her family. What a magical person she was!!!”
Jane Fonda said, “It’s hard to believe and accept that Diane is gone. She was always a ray of life and light, always laughing at her own weaknesses, and endlessly creative…in her acting, her wardrobe, her books, her friends, her home, her library, her worldview. What was unique was who she was. And although she didn’t know it or wouldn’t admit it, hey, she was a great actress!”
Mandy Moore said: “They say you don’t meet your heroes, but I had the privilege of working with one of my heroes and calling her ‘mum’ for a few months. It was the honor of a lifetime. Di was a truly brilliant human being. She will be missed for all sorts of reasons. It’s so sad, but also because it feels like she’s been here forever, captivating us with her talent and charm (and her style)!! One of the greatest of all time. Love to her and her children.” something loved. ”
Steve Martin shared a playful exchange in 2021 in an interview: “Who’s sexier, me or Steve Martin?” Martin Short asked. Keaton replied, “I mean, they’re both idiots.”
