LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 01: Actress Diane Keaton attends the premiere of STX’s “Poms” at Regal LA Live on May 01, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage)
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Diane Keaton, who reached a career zenith with her Academy Award for Best Actress for Woody Allen’s Annie Hall in 1978, died on October 11 at age 79. A family spokesperson confirmed her passing in California.
“Further details are not available at this time, and her loved ones have asked for privacy,” according to a statement by a family spokesperson.
Born on January 5, 1946, in Los Angeles, Keaton rose to fame as Kay Adams-Corleone in The Godfather trilogy. Just four years earlier, in 1970, she made her television debut with guest roles in Love, American Style and Night Gallery. Early appearances on Mannix and The F.B.I. soon followed.
LOS ANGELES – DECEMBER 20: The movie “The Godfather: Part II”, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the novel ‘The Godfather’ by Mario Puzo. Seen here, Diane Keaton as Kay Corleone. Initial theatrical wide release December 20, 1974. Screen capture. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
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But it was her performance as the quirky title character in Annie Hall (1977) that cemented her place in cinematic history. Keaton’s natural wit and offbeat charm helped redefine the modern romantic heroine, and her distinctive “Annie Hall” style became a fashion phenomenon.
Diane Keaton and Woody Allen in the film “Annie Hall.”
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Over the next four decades, Keaton balanced comedy and drama, earning three additional Oscar nominations for Reds (1981), Marvin’s Room (1996), and Something’s Gotta Give (2003).
In later years, her films included Book Club (2018) and Summer Camp (2024).
Beyond acting, Keaton was an accomplished photographer, producer, director, and bestselling author. Her memoirs, Then Again and Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty, offered a candid look at her artistry, life, and relationships with contemporaries including Al Pacino, Warren Beatty, and Woody Allen.
American actress Diane Keaton and American actor Warren Beatty attend the 47th New York Film Critics Circle Awards, held at Sardi’s restaurant in New York City, New York, 31st January 1982. Beatty’s film ‘Reds’ won the ‘Best Film’ award and Beatty won ‘Best Director’. (Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)
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Keaton is survived by her two children, Dexter and Duke.