Diane Keaton dies aged 79: Colleagues, friends, celebrities mourn Oscar-winning actress

After decades of extensive work, which saw her take lead roles in films from Reds (1981), Father of the Bride (1991) and its 1995 sequel, to Morning Glory (2010) and 5 Flights Up (2014) with Morgan Freeman, Keaton later noted she still felt much like her younger self did in both mind and spirit.

Keaton rose to fame in her 20s when she starred as Kay Adams-Corleone in The Godfather film trilogy. Photo / Getty Images

“I don’t know anything, and I haven’t learned,” she told People in 2019.

“Getting older hasn’t made me wiser.”

Bette Midler, who starred alongside Keaton in The First Wives Club (1996), honoured the late actress in a social media post.

“The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died,” Midler wrote.

“I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me. She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star.

“What you saw was who she was … oh, la, la la!“

Kimberly Williams-Paisley played Keaton’s daughter in Father of the Bride and its subsequent sequel.

In a series of screengrabs from their work together, Williams-Paisley said working with Keaton “will always be one of the highlights of my life”.

“You are one of a kind, and it was thrilling to be in your orbit for a time. Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, your talent and above all, your laughter.”

Mandy Moore, who played Keaton’s daughter in rom-com Because I Said So (2007), took to Instagram to express her love for Keaton’s family, writing: “They say don’t meet your heros [sic] but I got to work with one of mine and even call her ‘mom’ for a few months.

“An honour of a lifetime. What an incandescent human Di is and was.

“I am so sad she’s gone for all the reasons but also because it felt like she’d be here forever, dazzling us with her talent and charm (and her style, c’mon)!!! One of the very best to ever do it.”

Meanwhile, Hollywood director Paul Feig – who remained trusted friends with Keaton until her death – said Keaton “was an amazingly kind and creative person who also just happened to be a Hollywood legend”.

“She has been taken from us far too soon. We will miss you, Diane,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

I was so honored to call Diane Keaton a friend. She was an amazingly kind and creative person who also just happened to be a Hollywood legend. She has been taken from us far too soon. We will miss you, Diane. 💔

— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) October 11, 2025

Jennifer Tilly, Keaton’s Sister Mary Explains It All (1991) co-star, expressed that she “loved working with her” and said she still retained a “beautifully engraved bible” that Keaton once gifted her.

“Diane was so warm and wonderful, and had a great sense of humor,” Tilly wrote on X.

“She was a truly unique individual. Such a loss.”

Diane was so warm and wonderful, and had a great sense of humor. I loved working with her. I still have the beautifully engraved bible that she gave me as a wrap present. She was a truly unique individual. Such a loss. 😔 https://t.co/RPKbRwXJNQ

— Jennifer Tilly (@JenniferTilly) October 11, 2025

Fellow Father of the Bride star Steve Martin honoured his former colleague by resharing an excerpt from Interview magazine, where Martin Short asked Keaton, “Who’s sexier, me or Steve Martin?”

“I mean, you’re both idiots,” Keaton jokingly replied.

Martin said he was unsure of the post’s origin “but it sums up our delightful relationship with Diane”.

In a statement, Robert De Niro – Keaton’s colleague in The Godfather Part II (1974) and Marvin’s Room (1996) – said he was “very sad to hear of Diane’s passing”, reported Deadline.

“I was very fond of her and the news of her leaving us has taken me totally by surprise. I was not expecting her to leave us.

“She will be missed. May she rest in peace.”

Singer and former Go-Go’s vocalist Belinda Carlisle said Keaton “was such a talent and a big part of my career”, having directed two of her music videos in the 1980s.

“She was kind and eccentric and I was blessed to know her. RIP Diane, you will be missed.”

I cant! 💔💔💔 Diane Keaton was such a talent and a BIG part of my career. She directed two videos of mine – “Heaven Is A Place on Earth” and the video for “I Get Weak.”
She was kind and eccentric and I was blessed to know her. RIP Diane, you will be missed. 💔 pic.twitter.com/PbDVNQsJh8

— Belinda Carlisle 💙 (@belindacarlisle) October 11, 2025

Welsh actor Luke Evans posted a selfie with Keaton in dashing attire at an event, sharing his condolences and describing it as a “very sad day”.

“Such a brilliant actor, a kind heart and full of graciousness with a shining independent spirit,” he added.

Octavia Spencer expressed admiration for the late veteran actress, writing that today, “we lost a true original”.

“@diane_keaton wasn’t just an actress: she was a force. a woman who showed us that being yourself is the most powerful thing you can be,” she said.

“From Annie Hall to Something’s Gotta Give, she made every role unforgettable. But beyond the screen, she brought joy, laughter, and style that was all her own.

“Thank you, Diane, for reminding us that authenticity never goes out of fashion.”

Topher Grace, who starred in The Big Wedding (2013) with Keaton, stated that “we’re losing too many legends” in a post on Instagram.

“I adored working with Diane, one of the best to ever do it.”

Actress, comedian and award-winning talk show host Rosie O’Donnell also said that Keaton’s death “breaks my heart”.

“Love to her children – what style what grace – she will be missed #ripdianekeaton.”

Keaton is survived by daughter Dexter, 29, and son Duke, 25, who she adopted in 1996 and 2001 respectively.

Details were not immediately available and Keaton’s whānau have asked for privacy, a spokesperson told People.

Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023.

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