Entertainment world mourns Diane Keaton, dead at 79
By Zoe Sottile, Sarah Dewberry, CNN
(CNN) — The death of acclaimed actress Diane Keaton, who starred in “Annie Hall” and “The Godfather,” has been met with grief and shock.
Keaton’s death was confirmed to CNN by Dori Rath, a producer who worked on several of her most recent films. No cause of death was provided, and CNN has reached out to her representatives for comment.
Actresses Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler, who co-starred with Keaton in the 1996 comedy “The First Wives Club,” where they played divorcées seeking revenge on their ex-husbands, were among the many who paid tribute to her.
Actress Bette Midler wrote Keaton’s death made her “unbearably sad” in a post on Instagram. “She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star,” she said of Keaton.
Hawn, meanwhile, said in an Instagram post a sentiment probably shared by fans and those who knew her alike: “Diane, we aren’t ready to lose you.”
“We agreed to grow old together, and one day, maybe live together with all our girlfriends,” she added. “Well, we never got to live together, but we did grow older together. Who knows… maybe in the next life.”
Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio remembered Keaton, whom he starred alongside in “Marvin’s Room” when he was only 18 years old, as “a legend, an icon, and a truly kind human being.”
Kimberly Williams Paisley, who co-starred with Keaton in the 1991 film “Father of the Bride,” wrote, “Diane, working with you will always be one of the highlights of my life,” in a post on Instagram.
The actor Ben Stiller called Keaton as “one of the greatest film actors ever” and “an icon of style, humor and comedy” in a post on X.
And the Tony-winning playwright Jeremy O. Harris wrote Keaton “maintained a sense of self throughout her many roles that was a reminder to me as a young performer that the most interesting person you can mine are the many aspects of yourself.”
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which awarded Keaton an Oscar for her star-making turn alongside Woody Allen in 1977’s “Annie Hall,” wrote she “embodied the contradictions of being human: funny and fragile, bright and bruised, always achingly honest” in a post on X.
“Her spirit will live forever on screen, and in the hearts of all who saw themselves in her,” the post goes on. Keaton was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actress four times in total, including for “Annie Hall.”
Charles Miers, the publisher of Rizzoli, which published Keaton’s 2024 book “Fashion First” about her life and unique style, wrote in a statement, “She was herself at all times and in all ways: extremely thoughtful, very funny, generous to a fault, always energetically hardworking, and just plain true to people in the best possible ways.”
“We are so honored to have worked with her, proud of the books we still have but so sad not to be working on another with her and her contagious enthusiasm,” he wrote.
The American Film Institute, which honored the actress with a Life Achievement Award in 2017, wrote Keaton “filled our hearts with laughter and tears and the deepest of humanity for decades.”
In a statement, Paramount said Keaton became “a cinematic icon by doing the most daring thing of all: being wholly herself.” The company added, “Her legacy will continue to shine as brightly as she did on screen for generations to come.”
SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents actors and other media workers, wrote in a statement, “We’ve lost a legend.”
“From stage to TV to film, she captivated audiences and captured hearts with her spirit and dedication,” the statement reads.
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