Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning star of Annie Hall and a defining figure in American cinema for over five decades, has died in California at the age of 79, her family announced today. The cause of death was pneumonia,according to a statement released by her children,Dexter and Duke Keaton.
Keaton’s passing marks the end of an era and a profound loss for the film industry and her devoted fans.Her career spanned iconic roles in The Godfather and its sequels, Reds, Marvin’s room, Something’s Gotta Give, Father of the Bride, and The First Wives Club, establishing her as a versatile and beloved performer. Though she had remained largely out of the public eye in recent months, news of her death came as a shock.
Born Diane hall in 1946, Keaton rose to prominence with her distinctive style and comedic timing, culminating in her Academy Award for Best Actress in 1978 for Annie hall, a role heavily inspired by her own life and crafted by her then-partner, Woody Allen. She continued to challenge herself with diverse roles, earning critical acclaim and cementing her status as a Hollywood icon.
In the wake of her death, tributes have poured in from fellow actors and filmmakers, including Woody Allen, Jane Fonda, Keanu Reeves, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Meryl Streep. People magazine recently reported, citing a source close to Keaton, that her health had “declined very suddenly” in recent months.
keaton, who never married, is survived by her two sisters, Dorrie and Robin, and her two children, Dexter and Duke, adopted in 1996 and 2001, respectively. She frequently enough spoke of the transformative power of motherhood, once stating, “Motherhood has entirely changed me. It’s just about like the most completely humbling experience that I’ve ever had.”
