Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton no more

Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress known for her distinctive style and acclaimed performances in films such as Annie Hall and The Godfather, has died at 79.

Keaton gained early fame as Kay Adams, the girlfriend and later wife of Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone, in The Godfather films. She later charmed audiences with her role as Steve Martin’s wife in the 1991 comedy Father of the Bride, playing a nervous yet loving mother preparing for her daughter’s lavish wedding.

In the later years of her career, Keaton starred in Book Club (2018) and Poms (2019), both films that explored themes of aging and resilience.

A BAFTA and Golden Globe winner, Keaton received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Actress for Annie Hall (1977) and earning additional nods for Reds (1981), Marvin’s Room (1996), and Something’s Gotta Give (2003).

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said in a statement, “Some actors play emotions. Diane Keaton lived inside them.”

The American Film Institute honored Keaton with its Life Achievement Award in 2017, describing her as “unconventional, iconoclastic and left-of-center.”

Many of her colleagues shared tributes following her death. Actress Andie MacDowell, who appeared in Unstrung Hero (1995), which Keaton directed, said she was “heartbroken” by the loss. Bette Midler, her co-star in The First Wives Club (1996), wrote on Instagram that Keaton “was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile.” Goldie Hawn, who also appeared in the film, said Keaton “left us with a trail of fairy dust, filled with particles of light and memories beyond imagination.”

Keaton, who was known for her loyalty to friends, occasionally found herself in controversy. In 2018, she voiced support for director Woody Allen amid resurfaced allegations of sexual abuse, saying on social media, “Woody Allen is my friend and I continue to believe him.”

Despite the prevalence of sexual harassment scandals in Hollywood, Keaton said she had never experienced such behavior in her career. “Never. Maybe I just wasn’t harassment material,” she told AFP in 2019.

Keaton’s distinctive fashion sense, first showcased in Annie Hall — featuring oversized hats, vests, and men’s ties — became her signature look and an enduring cultural influence.

Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles on January 5, 1946, Keaton never married, though she was romantically linked to Woody Allen, Al Pacino, and Warren Beatty. “I’ve never even got married. I am a failure,” she once joked, adding, “Maybe I did miss out on something — but nobody can have everything.”

She is survived by her two children, Dexter and Duke.