Diane Ladd, Oscar-Nominated Star of ‘Alice Doesn’t live Here Anymore,’ Dies at 89
Diane Ladd, a prolific and acclaimed actor known for her roles in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here anymore” and a career spanning decades, has died at the age of 89.
Ladd received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her performances in 1974’s “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” and David Lynch’s 1990 film “Wild at Heart,” where she played the mother of her real-life daughter, Laura Dern’s, character. She earned a further Oscar nomination the following year for ”Rambling Rose,” also starring Dern. Princess Diana was a devoted fan of “Rambling Rose,” inviting Ladd and Dern to a royal premiere in London, where she sat between them “holding both our hands, and crying, watching us perform,” Ladd recalled in a later interview.
Born in Shelby, Nebraska, Ladd began her career in the 1960s and appeared in a diverse range of films throughout the 1980s, including the crime thriller “Black Widow” and the comedy “National Lampoon’s Christmas vacation.” She also joined the cast of the sitcom Alice, based on the film.
The 1990s brought roles in “The Cemetery Club” with Ellen burstyn, the political comedy ”Primary Colors” alongside John Travolta, and Alexander Payne’s “Citizen Ruth,” again featuring Dern. She garnered Emmy nominations for her television work in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Grace Under fire, and Touched by an Angel.
Ladd continued to collaborate with her daughter in projects like “daddy and Them,” David Lynch’s “inland Empire,” and Mike White’s ”Enlightened.” Her later film credits included appearances with Sandra Bullock in “28 Days,” Anthony Hopkins in “The World’s Fastest Indian,” and Jennifer Lawrence in “Joy.” Television roles followed in ”Ray Donovan” and “Young sheldon.”
Beyond acting,Ladd wrote and directed the comedy film “Mrs.munck,” starring herself and her ex-husband, Bruce Dern. “Bruce is a great actor,” she said in an interview. “I’m privileged to have directed him in a movie. Actually, I’m the only woman in history to direct her ex-husband.”
Ladd was also a third cousin of playwright Tennessee Williams, whom she considered a significant influence. In 2018, she was initially misdiagnosed with a terminal illness but made a full recovery after seeking a second opinion.
“If you can take your pain and not let it back up like a sore or something, instead use it to explore, to make the path clearer for yourself and others, then you are winning,” Ladd stated in 2023.
