Diane Keaton was a pioneer for modern women, both on and off the screen

By Lisa Respers France, CNN

(CNN) — When Diane Keaton first appeared on screen in “Annie Hall,” the moment was revolutionary.

Playing the title character, she was the epitome of the modern woman that was being so intensely discussed during the 1970s, as feminists and supporters attempted to get the Equal Rights Amendment ratified to guarantee all Americans, no matter their gender, equal legal protections.

As Annie Hall, Keaton was quirky. She adopted a masculine style of dress, and went against Hollywood’s prototype, in that, while her character was part of a love story opposite the film’s co-writer, director and star, Woody Allen, she was far from just a love interest.

It’s how Keaton, who died at the age of 79 this week, lived in real life as well.

The star who helped define the modern woman won the Academy Award for best actress for “Annie Hall” and gave the world her “la di da” line from that film, something she reflected on decades later in an interview with CBS’s Katie Couric.

“I never said la di da in my life until he wrote it,” she told Couric. “But I was a person who couldn’t complete a sentence,” she said — so “he did get that right.”

With her refusal to just play polished female roles, Keaton helped to redefine what a leading woman could look and sound like. Her characters were layered, complex and independent.

She kept that up with later roles including 1987’s “Baby Boom,” 1981’s “Reds,” 2003’s Something’s Gotta Give and 2018’s “Book Club.”

Keaton said she learned it at home.

“I had a mother who encouraged that and helped me achieve the things I wanted to achieve,” she said. “I’ve followed the paths I’ve wanted to follow.”

That meant blazing a trail in Hollywood with roles in everything from “The Godfather” trilogy to voicing the character of Jenny in the animated film “Finding Dory.”

Sometimes even she couldn’t believe her own career.

During an “ask me anything” session on Instagram Stories in 2023 she reportedly inquired of famed director Francis Ford Coppola “Why on Earth did you choose me for The Godfather?!”

“I chose you because, although you were to play the more straight-vanilla wife, there was something more about you, deeper, funnier, and very interesting,” he said.

Her ability to infuse a bit of herself into every character always showed on the screen.

Keaton followed her heart in work, fashion and architecture, all of which she which she loved. But she charted how own path especially in her personal life.

While she had high profile romances with fellow stars Woody Allen, Al Pacino and Warren Beatty, Keaton never married.

“I don’t think it would have been a good idea for me to have married, and I’m really glad I didn’t, and I’m sure they’re happy about it, too,” she told People magazine about being a perpetual bachelorette.

She also tied this choice back to her own mother when she talked to Interview magazine in 2021.

“And she was just the best mother, but I think that she is the reason why I didn’t get married. I didn’t want to give up my independence,” Keaton said at the time. “By the way, no one has ever asked me to marry them, either, so that might be a good answer. I should’ve started with that and called it a day.”

Keaton began her own motherhood journey in her fifties after adopting newly born daughter Dexter in 1996 and toddler son Duke in 2001.

“Motherhood was not an urge I couldn’t resist,” she told Ladies Home Journal as reported by People. “It was more like a thought I’d been thinking for a very long time. So I plunged in.”

She loved her children fiercely and that was returned.

In 2022, her daughter posted a rare photo of their family celebrating the TCL Chinese Theatre hosting a hand and footprint ceremony in honor of the actress.

“What an amazing day honoring my momma!,” Keaton’s daughter wrote in the caption. “I am so proud of you and this is an incredible honor. I love you.”

Keaton also had a maternal affect on others.

On Saturday Reese Witherspoon told a crowd at an event where she was speaking that Keaton had passed away and tried not to get emotional as she shared a personal story.

Witherspoon said she was 15 and new to acting when she met Keaton after auditioning. The legendary star was taken aback, Witherspoon shared, by the teen from Nashville’s strong southern accent.

“Are you making that up?” Witherspoon said Keaton asked her. “That accent that you’re doing?”

After Witherspoon assured her it was genuine, Keaton hired her. The younger actress starred in the made for TV film “Wildflower” with Keaton as director.

Keaton was one of her first mentors, Witherspoon said, adding that the late actress was “just incredible, indelible and just a truly original person.”

Witherspoon encouraged the crowd to “watch one of her movies and wear like a really cool, interesting outfit.”

“Just live your dream, just be your unique, interesting self,” Witherspoon concluded. “I think Diane would be really happy.”

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.