Oscar-Winning Actress Diane Keaton Dies Aged 79

Iconic actress Diane Keaton has passed away at the age of 79.

She died in California on Saturday, October 11.

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) verified that they arrived at Keaton’s residence at 8:08 a.m. local time and took a 79-year-old woman to a nearby hospital.

Keaton gained prominence in the 1970s through her performances in The Godfather series and her work with filmmaker Woody Allen.

She earned an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in 1977’s Annie Hall. Her extensive career featured films such as The First Wives Club, several projects with director Nancy Meyers, and the Book Club series.

In 2021, Keaton appeared in Justin Bieber’s music video “Ghost.” She was also an active Instagram user, sharing updates about her life, thoughts on her career and friendships, and expressing admiration for those she cherished.

Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles in 1946, she was the eldest of four siblings.

Her father worked as a civil engineer, while her mother was a homemaker.

Keaton felt her mother had aspirations for something greater.

“Secretly in her heart of hearts she probably wanted to be an entertainer of some kind,” the actress told People in 2004. “She sang. She played the piano. She was beautiful. She was my advocate.”

The actress adopted her mother’s maiden name, Keaton, as her stage name, as another Diane Hall was already registered with Actors’ Equity.

Beyond her legendary acting career, Keaton was recognized for defying societal norms.

Keaton never wed and opted not to have biological children.

“Today I was thinking, I’m the only one in my generation of actresses who has been a single woman all her life,” she explained to People in 2019. “I’m really glad I didn’t get married. I’m an oddball. I remember in high school, this guy came up to me and said, ‘One day you’re going to make a good wife.’ And I thought, ‘I don’t want to be a wife. No.’”

She was romantically involved with Allen, Pacino, and Warren Beatty over the years.

Keaton adopted two children, daughter Dexter and son Duke, in 1996 and 2001, respectively.

“Motherhood was not an urge I couldn’t resist, it was more like a thought I’d been thinking for a very long time. So I plunged in,” she told Ladies’ Home Journal in 2008.

Keaton is survived by her children.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli