Oscar-Winning Actress And Hollywood Legend Diane Keaton Dies At 79
Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress celebrated for her timeless charm, wit, and individuality, has died at the age of 79.
Born in Los Angeles, Keaton became a defining figure of American cinema, first capturing attention in the 1970s as Kay Adams-Corleone in The Godfather films. Her breakout performance in Annie Hall (1977), directed by Woody Allen, won her the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for Best Actress, cementing her status as one of Hollywood’s most versatile stars.
Producer and close friend Dori Rath confirmed her death to CBS News.
Over a career spanning more than five decades, Keaton delivered standout performances in numerous beloved films, including Father of the Bride, The First Wives Club, The Family Stone, Something’s Gotta Give, Marvin’s Room, and Reds. She received three additional Oscar nominations — all for Best Actress — for her roles in Reds, Marvin’s Room, and Something’s Gotta Give.
Beyond acting, Keaton proved her creative depth as a filmmaker. Her directorial debut, the 1987 documentary Heaven, explored beliefs about the afterlife, while her 1995 film Unstrung Heroes earned a spot at the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard category. In 2000, she directed and starred in Hanging Up alongside Meg Ryan and Lisa Kudrow.
Keaton’s final role was in the 2024 comedy Summer Camp, where she appeared with Eugene Levy and Kathy Bates.
Renowned for her eccentric yet elegant fashion — often featuring tailored suits, turtlenecks, and her trademark wide-brimmed hats — Keaton’s style became as iconic as her film career.
Tributes from fellow actors and filmmakers have flooded in. Steve Martin, her Father of the Bride co-star, shared a fond memory highlighting her humor and warmth, while Ben Stiller described her on X as “one of the greatest film actors ever — an icon of style, humor, and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.”
Despite her fame, Keaton lived a deeply private life. She never married but adopted two children, Dexter and Duke, whom she often called her greatest joy.
In her 2011 autobiography Then Again, she wrote, “I am totally content whenever the ones I love are happy about something little, big, insignificant, whatever. I just don’t think anyone could possibly have the same wonderful, intense, compelling feelings that I have for this family of mine.”
