Diane Keaton, icon of film and style, has died at 79

11 October 2025

Keaton, who never married, is pictured with her children, Duke and Dexter, in 2017. Getty Images for Turner

Hollywood is in mourning after news broke that Diane Keaton passed away in California at age 79, her family confirmed. With a career spanning over five decades, she was far more than an actress she was a touchstone in American cinema, known for her wit, her aesthetic, her courage, and for roles that reshaped expectations of women on screen.

Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles on January 5, 1946, she later adopted her mother’s maiden name Keaton because there was already a Diane Hall registered with Actors’ Equity. Her early work included theater and Broadway projects, but she gained national attention in the early 1970s. One of her first major film roles was as Kay Adams in The Godfather (1972), playing opposite Al Pacino.

But it was Annie Hall (1977) that cemented her legacy. She earned the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance, a role in which her own quirky, off-beat voice and mannerisms became part of the fabric of the character. That film also deepened her collaboration and personal relationship with Woody Allen, one that persisted professionally and emotionally in various forms.

Over time Keaton built an eclectic filmography: romantic comedies, dramas, ensemble cast films, and more. She starred in Baby Boom, Father of the Bride, The First Wives Club, Something’s Gotta Give, Marvin’s Room, and many others that revealed different sides of her acting range. She was nominated for multiple Oscars beyond Annie Hall (for Reds, Marvin’s Room, Something’s Gotta Give) and remained active in film, television, and behind the camera.

Beyond acting she was creative in multiple arenas: writing, directing, photography, real estate restoration, fashion, wine, and interior design. She wrote memoirs in which she addressed her struggles, including an earlier battle with bulimia, and about how she carved a life on her own terms.

She never married, but she chose motherhood later: she adopted two children, Dexter and Duke, as a single mother in her 50s. Her personal life included high-profile relationships with Woody Allen, Warren Beatty, and Al Pacino, but she remained fiercely independent.

As the news of her death spread, tributes poured in. Bette Midler called her “brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary” in a heartfelt social media post, and many co-stars, collaborators, and fans echoed the sentiment that she was a “national treasure.” Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who played her daughter in Father of the Bride, shared memories of Keaton’s kindness and influence. Others praised her authenticity, her generosity, and the courage she showed in being herself in an industry that often demands conformity.

Diane Keaton’s passing marks the end of an era. She leaves behind a legacy not measured only in awards but in quiet revolutions of character, style, voice, and possibility. Her films will live on and with them the mark of a woman who refused to step into a mold.