To those who knew her personally, Diane Keaton was a joy to be around and embraced many traditions with her friends and loved ones prior to her death.
Keaton’s friend Lynda Resnick gave a snapshot of what the late star was like away from the Hollywood gaze before she died at age 79 on Saturday, October 11. The First Wives Club actress was remembered as a bright light who attended movie nights with her friends every Saturday, a group that included Carole Bayer Sager, Sherry Lansing and Lauren Shuler Donner.
“It was love at first sight,” Resnick told People on Tuesday, October 10, of meeting Keaton in 2016, praising her for being “the most authentic, talented woman.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Resnick shared that Keaton put effort into making sure she kept in contact with her pals on Zoom and “would show up in either a black or white turtleneck.” Keaton never diverted from her signature style, often donning menswear, bowler hats and intricate tailored pieces both on the red carpet and off. “Diane was always in character,” Resnick said of the look she became known for.
Diane Keaton reportedly faced upheaval with her health in the final months before her death at age 79. Keaton’s spokesperson announced on Saturday, October 11, that the actress had died at age 79 without offering any further details. Her family “asked for privacy” as they grieved their immense loss. Us Weekly reached out to Keaton’s […]
Keaton also never failed to give memorable gifts during the holiday season, which included “fabulous books that were so big a U-Haul had to bring them,” Resnick recalled.
“And I remember one year she bought canisters for cookies and things and they had black and white tops because that was her signature,” she added of Keaton’s love for the sleek color scheme.
Diane Keaton Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
Resnick remembered Keaton as someone “full of life and love and happiness,” adding, “It was always easy to be with Diane and I will miss her terribly.”
Months prior to Keaton’s death, she spent time with some of her other famous friends while attending Jack Nicholson’s birthday party. (Nicholson turned 88 on April 22.)
“I saw her fairly recently at Jack Nicholson’s birthday party, and it was good to see her there,” Keaton’s Book Club costar Ed Begley Jr. told People on Saturday. “She loved Jack Nicholson, as I do, and Jack loved her. So I don’t mean to speak for him. I’m sure he’s as devastated as I am by her loss.”
Diane Keaton grew close to several of her Hollywood costars in the years before her death, including Jack Nicholson. The twosome costarred in 1981’s Reds and the 2003 rom-com Something’s Gotta Give, the latter of which was directed by Nancy Meyers and earned Keaton an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. For Nicholson, working with […]
Begley Jr. also spoke to Us Weekly exclusively about the heartbreaking moment he found out about Keaton’s death after decades of friendship.
“It hit me hard when I heard of her passing,” he told Us. “She’s with us still [in spirit]. She’s not going anywhere.”
Begley Jr. said Keaton was “like a sister” to him and “a dear, dear friend,” whom he “was extremely close to.”
“I loved her a lot,” he added.
Audio of a 911 call obtained by TMZ revealed that authorities responded to a “person down” at Keaton’s Los Angeles home on Saturday morning. She was transported via ambulance to a nearby hospital. Keaton’s cause of death has not yet been revealed.
“There are no further details available at this time, and her family has asked for privacy in this moment of great sadness,” a spokesperson for Keaton told People on Saturday.