Oscar-winning actress dies aged 79, US media report

Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton has died at the age of 79.

Los Angeles-born Keaton rose to fame in the 1970s for her role as Kay Adams-Corleone in The Godfather films.

She was also known for her leading roles in films such as Father of the Bride, First Wives Club and Annie Hall, which won her the 1978 Academy Award for Best Actress.

Keaton’s producer and friend Dori Rath confirmed the actress’ death to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

For Annie Hall, Keaton also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical Film and the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Throughout his career spanning more than five decades, Keaton starred in dozens of other films, including The Family Stone, Because I Said So, And So It Goes, as well as a number of other Woody Allen films, such as Play It Again, Sam, Sleeper, Love and Death, and Manhattan.

Keaton made his film debut in the 1970 romantic comedy Lovers and Other Strangers. Her most recent film was the 2024 comedy Summer Camp where she starred alongside Eugene Levy and Kathy Bates.

Keaton also made several films, the first of which was a 1987 documentary, Heaven, chronicling people’s beliefs about the afterlife. His 1995 film Unstrung Heroes – a comedy-drama starring Andie MacDowell, John Turturro and Michael Richards – was selected for Unstrung Heroes at the Cannes Film Festival, which showcases unique stories from emerging directors.

Most recently, Keaton directed Hang Up in 2000, a comedy-drama starring herself, Meg Ryan and Lisa Kudrow.

Both in her film roles and in her personal life, Keaton was known for her unique style, which often featured men’s clothing and a wide-brimmed hat.

Keaton died Saturday in California, a family spokesperson told People magazine, which was first to report the news.

In tribute, her First Wives Club co-star Bette Midler wrote on Instagram: “The brilliant, beautiful and extraordinary Diane Keaton has passed away. I can’t tell you how unbearably sad this makes me.”

“She was hilarious, completely original and completely devoid of the guile or competitiveness that one would expect from such a star. What you saw was who she was… oh, la, lala!”

First Wives Club co-star Goldie Hawn said Keaton left behind “a trail of fairy dust, filled with particles of light and memories beyond imagination.”

Writing on Instagram, Hawn said: “How do you say goodbye? What words can come to your mind when your heart is broken? You never liked praise, so humble, but now you can’t tell me to ‘shut up’ darling. There was, and there will be, no one like you.”

Steve Martin, who starred with Keaton in Father of the Bride alongside Martin Short, republished part of a magazine article in which Short asks, “Who’s hotter, me or Steve Martin?”

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

Martin said: “I don’t know who posted this first, but it sums up our lovely relationship with Diane.”

Actor Ben Stiller paid tribute on X, writing: “Diane Keaton. One of the greatest screen actors of all time. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.”

Keaton was nominated for three other Academy Awards – all in the Best Actress category – for her work in Something’s Gotta Give, Marvin’s Room and Reds.

She never married and had two adopted children: a daughter, Dexter, and a son, Duke.

In her 2011 autobiography, Then Again, Keaton wrote: “I measured my happiness rate and this is the result. I am totally satisfied whenever those I love are happy about something small, big, insignificant, whatever.

“I just don’t think anyone could have the same wonderful, intense, compelling feelings that I have for my family.”