Her Life And Career In Pictures Plus Star Reactions

HOLLYWOOD, CA – JUNE 08: Actress Diane Keaton attends the AFI Life Achievement Award gala at Dolby Theatre on June 8, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

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Diane Keaton, a Hollywood icon who starred in such classics as The Godfather trilogy, Annie Hall, Manhattan and First Wives Club, among many others, died Saturday in Los Angeles, according to several published reports.

Keaton was 79. The performer, who never married, is survived by her daughter, Dexter, and son, Duke. Keaton’s cause of death has not yet been released.

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Keaton was born Diane Hall on Jan. 5, 1946, in Los Angeles. She made her screen debut in 1970 in the romantic comedy drama Lovers and Other Strangers, which was followed by guest roles in such TV shows as Love, American Style and Night Gallery in 1970, and The F.B.I. and Mannix in 1972.

Keaton’s breakthrough role came in 1972 in director Francis Ford Coppola’s Best Picture Oscar-winning crime drama The Godfather. See images below from Keaton’s life and career.

Diane Keaton starred as Kay Adams, who married an Army veteran-turned-mob family head, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), in 1972’s The Godfather. Keaton reprised her role as Kay in The Godfather, Part II in 1974 and The Godfather, Part III in 1990.

Reacting to Keaton’s passing on Instagram, Viola Davis wrote, “No!! No!!! No!! God, not yet, NO!!! Man… you defined womanhood. The pathos, humor, levity, your ever-present youthfulness and vulnerability — you tattooed your SOUL into every role, making it impossible to imagine anyone else inhabiting them. You were undeniably, unapologetically YOU!!! Loved you. Man… rest well. God bless your family, and I know angels are flying you home.”

Diane Keaton won her first and only Oscar — for Best Actress — for playing the title character in the 1977 romantic comedy Annie Hall, which was directed by and co-starred Woody Allen.

Annie Hall also won the Best Picture Oscar, as well as Oscars for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Allen, who shared the latter statuette with Marshall Brickman.

Diane Keaton attended the 50th Annual Academy Awards in 1978, where she accepted her Oscar for Best Actress for Annie Hall.

Diane Keaton starred opposite Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty in the 1981 historical drama, Reds. Keaton earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her work in the film.

Diane Keaton and Warren Beatty attended the New York Film Critics Cirle Awards in 1982.

Diane Keaton starred opposite Mel Gibson in the 1984 period drama Mrs. Soffel, where she plays Kate Soffel, a prison warden’s wife who falls in love with convict Ed Biddle (Gibson), who is awaiting execution on death row.

Diane Keaton starred opposite Liam Neeson as a divorced couple going through an ugly custody battle in the 1988 drama The Good Mother, directed by Leonard Nimoy.

Diane Keaton starred opposite Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler in the 1996 comedy classic First Wives Club.

In an Instgram post on Saturday, Midler wrote, “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, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was … oh, la, lala!”

Diane Keaton appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1996. Also that year, Keaton starred opposite Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep and Leonardo DiCaprio in the psychological drama Marvin’s Room. The film earned Keaton her third Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

Diane Keaton appeared with Amanda Peet and Jack Nicholson at the Berlin Film Festival screening of their 2004 romantic comedy Something’s Gotta Give. The film earned Keaton her fourth and final Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

Steve Martin and Martin Short joined Diane Keaton on the red carpet of The Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Annual Gala Tribute to honor Keaton in 2007. Both Martin and Short starred opposite Keaton in the hit 1991 comedy Father of the Bride and its sequel in 1995.

In a tribute to Keaton on Saturday, Keaton’s Father of the Bride co-star Kimberly Williams Paisley wrote on Instagram, “Diane, working with you will always be one of the highlights of my life. You are one of a kind, and it was thrilling to be in your orbit for a time. Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, your talent, and above all, your laughter.”

Diane Keaton appeared with her co-star Sarah Jessica Parker at the red carpet premiere of their 2005 holiday comedy The Family Stone.

Paying tribute to Keaton’s comedic skills on Saturday, Ben Stiller wrote on X, “Diane Keaton. One of the greatest film actors ever. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.”

Diane Keaton appeared on the red carpet of the premiere of her 2010 comedy Morning Glory, in which she starred opposite Harrison Ford and Rachel McAdams.

Diane Keaton attended the red carpet premiere of her romantic comedy And So It Goes with her co-star Michael Douglas and director Rob Reiner.

In an Instagram post on Saturday, Douglas wrote, “RIP to my friend Diane Keaton. A heartbreaking loss of one of the greatest icons in our industry. I have so many fond memories of working with Diane on our film And So It Goes nearly twelve years ago. Sending my deepest condolences to the Keaton family during this difficult time.”

Diane Keaton appeared with writer-director Francis Ford Coppola and her co-stars from The Godfather and The Godfather, Part II — Robert DeNiro, Robert Duvall, James Caan, Al Pacino and Talia Shire — at a 45th Anniversary screening of The Godfather in 2017.

Diane Keaton appeared with her Book Club co-stars Mary Steenburgen, Jane Fonda and Candice Bergen at the 2018 red carpet premiere of the film. Keaton reprised her role along with her co-stars in the 2023 sequel Book Club: The Next Chapter.

Steenburgen sent a statement to People that reads, “Diane was magic. There was no one, nor will there ever be, anyone like her. I loved her and felt blessed to be her friend. My love to her family. What a wonder she was!!!”

Diane Keaton attended the Ralph Lauren Spring 2024 Ready To Wear Fashion Show in September of 2023 in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Diane Keaton was photographed in public in August of 2024 in Brentwood, Calif.

In a post on Instagram, Keaton’s Book Club co-star Jane Fonda wrote, “It’s hard to believe … or accept that Diane has passed,” before reflecting on what made Keaton special.

“She was always a spark of life and light, constantly giggling at her own foibles, being limitlessly creative…in her acting, her wardrobe, her books, her friends, her homes, her library, her world view. Unique is what she was. And, though she didn’t know it or wouldn’t admit it, man she was a fine actress!”

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