On Saturday, October 11, it was confirmed by People that beloved actress Diane Keaton has died at the age of 79.
Keaton died in California, the outlet reported, also sharing that “her loved ones have asked for privacy, according to a family spokesperson.” Details regarding Keaton’s cause of death have not been shared.
Keaton’s career took off in the ’70s after she starred in 1972’s The Godfather and 1974’s The Godfather Part II. Multiple collaborations with filmmaker Woody Allen further raised Keaton’s profile; her role in 1977’s Annie Hall won her the Best Actress Oscar.
Deftly handling both dramatic and comedic roles, Keaton would go on to star in a plethora of cherished comedies. 1991’s Father of the Bride, 1996’s First Wives Club, and 2000’s Hanging Up introduced the performer to another generation of fans.
Diane Keaton with Jack Nicholson in 2003’s Something’s Gotta Give.
(Image credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)
A role in Nancy Meyers‘s 2003 romantic comedy Something’s Gotta Give—which saw Keaton being romanced by both Jack Nicholson and Keanu Reeves—became one of the actress’s most talked about performances. In fact, Keaton’s style in the movie aided in the invention of the “coastal grandma” trend, and solidified her status as a fashion icon.
Responding to her newfound style icon status, the actress told Vogue in 2023, “It’s an honor! Why me? I’ve been so fortunate and lucky. And I do love clothes; I love looking at them.” She continued, “I buy all the magazines, and I’m constantly cutting pages of things that I find interesting—a Dior outfit, hats, or how people decorate their homes. I’m an addict.”
Diane Keaton attending the Thom Browne Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2023/2024 at Paris Fashion Week in July 2023.
(Image credit: Pierre Suu/Getty Images)
Keaton never married, but was romantically linked to several Hollywood stars, including Al Pacino and Warren Beatty.
In a 2019 interview with People, Keaton reflected on her decision to never marry. “I don’t think it would have been a good idea for me to have married, and I’m really glad I didn’t, and I’m sure they’re happy about it, too,” she explained. She also recalled being told she’d make a “good wife” by a peer in high school, telling the publication, “And I thought, ‘I don’t want to be a wife. No.'”
Keaton leaves behind two children—daughter Dexter in 1996, and son Duke in 2001—whom she adopted and raised.
