Diane Keaton
Share and Follow

Legendary actress Diane Keaton has died at the age of 79.

There are no further details at this time and her family has requested privacy, a spokesperson told People magazine, which first reported the news.

Keaton was the kind of actor who helped make films iconic and timeless, from her “La-dee-da, la-dee-da” phrasing as Annie Hall, bedecked in that necktie, bowler hat, vest and khakis, to her heartbreaking turn as Kay Adams, the woman unfortunate enough to join the Corleone family in The Godfather.

Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton was one of Hollywood’s most beloved figures. (Getty)

Her star-making performances in the 1970s, many of which were in Woody Allen films, were not a flash in the pan either, and she would continue to charm new generations for decades thanks in part to a longstanding collaboration with filmmaker Nancy Meyers.

Keaton won her first Oscar for Annie Hall and would go on to be nominated three more times, for Reds, Marvin’s Room and Something’s Gotta Give.

In her very Keaton way, upon accepting her Oscar in 1978 she laughed and said, “This is something.”

FILE - Oscar winners pose with their statuettes at the Academy Awards presentation in Los Angeles, April 3, 1978, from left: Richard Dreyfuss, best actor for "The Goodbye Girl"; Charles H. Joffe, best picture for "Annie Hall"; Diane Keaton, best actress for "Annie Hall"; presenter Jack Nicholson, and producer Jack Rollins of United Artists. (AP Photo, File)
Keaton with her Oscar in 1978 after her performance in Annie Hall. (AP)

Bette Midler, who starred with Keaton in The First Wives Club, paid tribute in a post on Instagram: “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!”

Octavia Spencer remembered Keaton as “[not] just an actress: she was a force. a woman who showed us that being yourself is the most powerful thing you can be”.

“From Annie Hall to Something’s Gotta Give, she made every role unforgettable. But beyond the screen, she brought joy, laughter, and style that was all her own. Thank you, Diane, for reminding us that authenticity never goes out of fashion,” Spencer’s tribute read.

Keaton was born Diane Hall in January 1946 in Los Angeles, though her family was not part of the film industry she would find herself in.

Her mother was a homemaker and photographer, and her father was in real estate and civil engineering.

Keaton made her film debut in the 1970 romantic comedy Lovers and Other Strangers, but her big breakthrough would come a few years later when she was cast in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, which won best picture and become one of the most beloved films of all time.

And yet even she hesitated to return for the sequel, though after reading the script she decided otherwise.

FILE - Diane Keaton attends the LA Premiere of "Love The Coopers" at The Grove on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
Keaton in 2015. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

The 1970s were an incredibly fruitful time for Keaton thanks in part to her ongoing collaboration with Allen in both comedic and dramatic roles.

She appeared in Sleeper, Love and Death, Interiors, Manhattan, Manhattan Murder Mystery and the film version of Play it Again, Sam.

Allen and the late Marshall Brickman gave Keaton one of her most iconic roles in Annie Hall, the infectious woman from Chippewa Falls whom Allen’s Alvy Singer cannot get over.

The film is considered one of the great romantic comedies of all time, with Keaton’s eccentric, self-deprecating Annie at its heart.

– Reported with Associated Press

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
As Australia welcomes a new year, the nation will also welcome some changes.

Comprehensive Guide to Key Changes Coming January 1, 2026: What You Need to Know

As the calendar flips to a new year in Australia, several significant…

Rising Tide of Hate: Bondi Attack Sparks Urgent Concerns Over Anti-Muslim Sentiment

Australian Muslim women wearing headscarves are being attacked in public in the…
Granddaughter of John F Kennedy dies weeks after terminal cancer reveal

Tragic Loss: JFK’s Granddaughter Succumbs to Cancer Weeks After Diagnosis

Tatiana Schlossberg, known for her work as an environmental journalist and as…
A passing driver then boxed the car in to prevent the carjacker from driving off, leading him to jump out of the car and run to a waiting Nissan Navara with registration 1OL9CF.

Melbourne Carjacking Fiasco: Police Search for Suspect After Bold Daylight Attempt

Police are asking the public to help identify a man who fled…
Good news in new poll for Hanson - but who is our most-liked politician?

Poll Results Reveal Surge in Support for Hanson: Discover Australia’s Most-Liked Politician

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson will end 2025 on a relative high,…
Jamie Ginn

Inquest Determines Rebels Biker Leader’s Death in Custody Due to Cocaine Overdose

A coronial inquest has concluded that Jamie Ginn, a prominent leader of…

Israel Plans Shutdown of Over 30 Humanitarian Groups in Gaza

Israel says it has suspended more than two dozen humanitarian organisations, including…

Unveiling the Truth: Bondi Attackers’ Solo Act with No Philippines Training Connection, Police Confirm

According to AFP chief Krissy Barrett, there is currently no evidence indicating…