Diane Keaton, the beloved Oscar-winning actress known for her charming presence on and off the screen, died of pneumonia, her family said.
A family statement published Wednesday in People magazine said: “The Keaton family is so 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 statement continues: “She loved her animals and was steadfast in her support of the homeless community, so any donation in her memory to a local food bank or animal shelter would be a wonderful and greatly appreciated tribute to her.”
The 79-year-old woman’s family confirmed her death to NBC News last week, but offered no additional details and requested privacy at the time.
Keaton, a Los Angeles native, dropped out of theater school in California and moved to New York to pursue her acting career. It was there that she landed her first notable role on Broadway, starring in Woody Allen’s “Play it Again, Sam.”
A few years later, he would bring his role in the 1968 stage production to the big screen. Keaton starred opposite Al Pacino in the 1974 hit “The Godfather,” quickly establishing himself as a rising Hollywood star.
Keaton won his only Academy Award in 1977, reuniting with Allen to play his love interest in “Annie Hall.” He later earned nominations for other works, including “Marvin’s Room,” co-starring Meryl Streep and a young Leonardo DiCaprio.
While Keaton had an undoubtedly prolific career as an actress and director, it seems that her uniqueness and humble personality are what her loved ones remembered her for after her death.
Jane Fonda, who starred alongside Keaton in the 2018 film “Book Club,” wrote that it was hard to believe her friend had died.
“She was always a spark of life and light, constantly laughing at her own weaknesses, being limitlessly creative… in her acting, her wardrobe, her books, her friends, her homes, her library, her worldview,” Fonda wrote in a post on Instagram.
In an appearance over the weekend, Reese Witherspoon recalled her first meeting with Keaton when she was 15 years old early in her career. Witherspoon auditioned for a role in the Keaton-directed film “Wildflower” and described Keaton as one of her early mentors.
“She’s just incredible and indelible and a truly original person,” Witherspoon said.
Keaton is survived by his daughter, Dexter, and son, Duke, whom he adopted when he was 50.
