Diane Keaton has died at 79 (report)

Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton has died at 79, according to People, who spoke with a family spokesperson on Sat., Oct. 11.

The legendary actress, known for iconic roles in films such as “Annie Hall,” “The Godfather,” and “The First Wives Club,” died in California. As of writing, her loved ones have asked for privacy, and no further details are available at this time.

Keaton, born Diane Hall in Los Angeles in 1946, became a Hollywood staple in the 1970s. Her career took off with her role as Kay Adams in “The Godfather” films and through her various collaborations with director Woody Allen, which led to her winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for 1977’s “Annie Hall.”

After graduating high school in 1964, Keaton pursued drama but soon left college for New York to start a career in theater. She adopted her mother’s maiden name, Keaton, because an actress named Diane Hall was already registered with Actors’ Equity. Her Broadway career began in 1968 with a role as an understudy in “Hair.” She later earned a Tony nomination for her performance in Allen’s 1969 Broadway show, “Play It Again, Sam.”

Keaton’s breakout film role came in 1972 when she was cast as Al Pacino’s girlfriend in “The Godfather.” Keaton told People in 2022 that she landed the life-changing role without ever having read the book. “I just was going around auditioning. I think that was amazing for me. And then I had to kind of read the book,” she said. She reprised her role in the franchise’s sequels, “The Godfather Part II” (1974) and “The Godfather Part III” (1990).

Keaton’s role in the romantic comedy, “Annie Hall” (1977), not only won her an Oscar but also cemented her as a style icon, with her character’s menswear-inspired wardrobe mirroring her own personal style.

Other popular films Keaton starred in include “Reds” (1981), “Father of the Bride” (1991), “Father of the Bride Part II”, and “Something’s Gotta Give” (2003).

While Keaton mostly stuck to film, she did have some memorable TV appearances. She lent her voice to the animated Netflix series “Green Eggs and Ham,” which ran from 2019 to 2022. She also starred in the HBO mini-series “The Young Pope” in 2016. Keaton even made an appearance in Justin Bieber’s music video for “Ghost” in 2021.

Her last acting credit was in the comedy film “Summer Camp” (2024), with Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, and Eugene Levy. According to IMDb, she has three upcoming projects, but it’s unclear if these projects wrapped before her death.

Though she was romantically linked to Allen, Pacino, and Warren Beatty throughout her lifetime, Keaton never married. “I’m really glad I didn’t get married. I’m an oddball,” she told People in 2019. “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 adopted two children, daughter Dexter in 1996 and son Duke in 2001. She is survived by her children.