Diane Keaton has passed away at 79 years old.
The Hollywood star and gay icon died in California, but a spokesperson for Keaton’s family shared no further details and asked for privacy, People reports. The actress is survived by her two children, Dexter and Duke.
Born in Los Angeles as Diane Hall in 1946, Keaton rose to prominence in the 1970s by starring in all three films of The Godfather series and working with filmmaker Woody Allen in Annie Hall, which earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Keaton was subsequently nominated for three more Oscars. Notably, each nomination took place in a different decade — 1977’s Annie Hall, 1981’s Reds, 1996’s Marvin’s Room, and 2003’s Something’s Gotta Give — which made her incredible talent, sense of humor, irresistible charisma, impeccable style choices, and cultural impact even more evident.
Through a queer lens, Keaton was commonly praised for starring in 1996’s Marvin’s Room with Meryl Streep; 1986’s Crimes of the Heart with Sissy Spacek and Jessica Lange; as well as the feminist-forward comedy Baby Boom from 1987.
Diane Keaton in posters for the films The First Wives Club; Marvin’s Room; Book Club: The Next Chapter.Paramount Pictures; Miramax Films; Focus Features
Keaton’s more recent films beloved by queer audiences included 1996’s The First Wives Club, 2005’s The Family Stone, and 2018’s Book Club, in which she costarred alongside Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen. The latter even spawned a sequel, 2023’s Book Club: The Next Chapter.
Notably, Keaton’s performance in 2005’s The Family Stone was also considered a groundbreaking moment for queer people. During a particularly tense dinner scene, Sybil Stone stood by her gay son (Thad, played by Tyrone Giordano) and told him: “I love you, and you are more normal than any other asshole sitting at this table.”
In 2013, Keaton acquired the rights to adapt the BBC series Last Tango in Halifax — which centered lesbian relationships — for American audiences at HBO. Even though the project did not move forward, the actress was keen on using her platform to advance LGBTQ+ storylines in mainstream media.
Editor’s note: This story is still developing…
Years before Stonewall, a cafeteria riot became a breakthrough for trans rights
All about the Compton's Cafeteria riot, when drag queens and trans women rose up against police at a diner in San Francisco.