Diane Keaton, Oscar-winning star of 'Annie Hall' and 'The Godfather', dies at 79
WASHINGTON, DC: Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton, celebrated for her indelible performances in ‘Annie Hall’, ‘The Godfather’ trilogy, and ‘The First Wives Club’, has died at the age of 79.
People reported that Keaton passed away in California on Saturday, October 11. “There are no further details available at this time, and her family has asked for privacy in this moment of great sadness,” a spokesperson said.
Keaton, whose singular style and sharp wit made her one of Hollywood’s most beloved stars, leaves behind a legacy of fearless performances and unconventional charm that spanned more than half a century.
Diane Keaton’s early life and rise from LA to New York stage
Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles in 1946, Keaton was the eldest of four children. Her father was a civil engineer, and her mother, who stayed at home, was a creative spirit who inspired Keaton’s own artistic ambitions.
“Secretly, in her heart of hearts, she probably wanted to be an entertainer,” Keaton said in 2004. “She sang, she played piano, she was beautiful, she was my advocate.”
After high school, Keaton studied drama in college but soon dropped out and moved to New York to pursue theater. She adopted her mother’s maiden name, becoming “Diane Keaton,” after discovering another Diane Hall was already registered with Actors’ Equity.
Her first major break came in the late 1960s as an understudy in 'Broadway’s Hair.' But success came with struggles. Keaton later revealed she battled bulimia during this time. “It was a mental illness,” she said in 2017. “You live a lifestyle that is very strange. You’re living a lie.” Therapy eventually helped her recover, paving the way for her next major opportunity.
Diane Keaton breakthrough came with 'The Godfather' and 'Annie Hall'
In 1970, Keaton made her film debut in ‘Lovers and Other Strangers’. But her defining moment came two years later when Francis Ford Coppola cast her as Kay Adams in ‘The Godfather.’
Keaton admitted she had no idea what the film was about when she auditioned. “I didn’t even read the book,” she confessed in 2022. “I just was going around auditioning.”
Her portrayal of Kay, Michael Corleone’s conflicted wife, brought quiet depth to the mafia epic. She reprised the role in ‘The Godfather Part II’ (1974) and ‘Part III’ (1990), cementing her place in cinematic history.
Keaton’s next major triumph came with Woody Allen’s 'Annie Hall' (1977), a role that earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress. The film not only redefined romantic comedies but also turned Keaton’s signature menswear-inspired style into a cultural phenomenon.
“I just don’t like the way I look and sound,” she once said modestly, despite her enduring status as a fashion icon.
Diane Keaton’s evolution from rom-com star to cultural icon
Through the 1980s and ’90s, Keaton continued to deliver powerful and eclectic performances. She earned another Oscar nomination for Something’s Gotta Give (2003) and charmed audiences in ‘Baby Boom’, ‘Father of the Bride’, and ‘The First Wives Club’.
She reunited with director Nancy Meyers multiple times and starred alongside Steve Martin, Goldie Hawn, and Bette Midler — often bringing warmth and humor to stories about love, loss, and resilience. In later years, she appeared in ‘Book Club’ and ‘Poms’, and even in Justin Bieber’s 2021 music video 'Ghost.'
A prolific social media presence in her later years, Keaton’s Instagram posts were filled with reflections on art, friendship, and aging.
Why Diane Keaton never married but embraced motherhood fully
Though romantically linked to Woody Allen, Al Pacino, and Warren Beatty, Keaton never married. “I’m really glad I didn’t get married,” she once said. “I’m an oddball.”
She adopted two children, daughter Dexter in 1996 and son Duke in 2001, and often described motherhood as a choice she made “after thinking about it for a very long time.”
Keaton is survived by her children.
