Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton has died at the age of 79 after suffering from pneumonia, her family has confirmed. They expressed gratitude for the “extraordinary” outpouring of love following her death last week.
“The Keaton family are very grateful for the extraordinary messages of love and support they have received these past few days on behalf of their beloved Diane, who passed away from pneumonia on October 11,” the family said in a statement to People.
In honour of her memory, the family encouraged donations to causes close to her heart.
“She loved her animals and she was steadfast in her support of the unhoused community, so any donations in her memory to a local food bank or an animal shelter would be a wonderful and much appreciated tribute to her,” the statement continued.
Keaton passed away in California, leaving behind a cinematic legacy that spanned more than five decades.
Since her Oscar-winning role in 1977’s “Annie Hall,” written and directed by her former partner Woody Allen and inspired by her own life, she became one of Hollywood’s most beloved and distinctive figures.
Her acclaimed performances included “The Godfather” trilogy, “Reds,” “Marvin’s Room,” “Something’s Gotta Give,” “Father of the Bride,” and “The First Wives Club.”
News of her death has sent shockwaves through Hollywood and beyond. Although Keaton had not appeared publicly for several months, no illness had been previously reported.
A source close to the actor told People that her health had “declined very suddenly” in recent months, adding that even many longtime friends “weren’t fully aware of what was happening.”
Tributes poured in from across the film industry, with former co-stars including Woody Allen, Jane Fonda, Keanu Reeves, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Meryl Streep honouring her life and career.
Keaton never married. She is survived by her two younger sisters, Dorrie and Robin, and her two children, daughter Dexter and son Duke, whom she adopted in 1996 and 2001.
“Motherhood has completely changed me,” she once said. “It’s just about like the most completely humbling experience that I’ve ever had.”
