Legendary actress Diane Keaton, who starred in award-winning films like Annie Hall, The Godfather and First Wives Club passed away on Oct 11, 2025 at the age of 79 in Los Angeles, California. The news of her death was first reported by People Magazine and was confirmed by CNN who reached out to Dori Rath, a producer who worked on several of her final projects, though no official cause of death has been announced yet. The actress’s health declined sharply in her final months according to a report by People.
The shockwaves of her death reverberated across social media as friends and fans were left in shock at the unexpected passing of the star. An outpouring of grief flooded the various social platforms as tributes came in from long time friends, colleagues, members of the Hollywood industry and admirers. The thespian leaves a tremendous legacy behind with most remembering her as the phenomenal actress and compassionate human being that she was.
Diane Keaton: In memoriam
Actress Goldie Hawn, who starred with Keaton in First Wives Club and had remained a close friend, posted a heart wrenching final message for her on Instagram. “Diane, we aren’t ready to lose you. You’ve left us with a trail of fairy dust, filled with particles of light and memories beyond imagination. How do we say goodbye? What words can come to mind when your heart is broken? You never liked praise, so humble, but now you can’t tell me to “shut up” honey. There was, and will be, no one like you,” she wrote. “We agreed to grow old together, and one day, maybe live together with all our girlfriends. Well, we never got to live together, but we did grow older together. Who knows… maybe in the next life. Shine your fairy dust up there, girlfriend. I’m going to miss the hell out of you.” She ended her tribute with a tender “I love you.”
Oscar award-winner Leonardo DiCaprio, who acted alongside Keaton at the tender age of eighteen in Marvin’s Room, remembered her as “one of a kind” saying that she would be “deeply missed”. Bette Midler, who was also Keaton’s First Wives Club co-star, was “unbearably sad” upon learning of her demise. She wrote, “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, lala!”
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Robert DeNiro, who starred in the Godfather trilogy and worked with the late actress multiple times, shared, “I am very sad to hear of Diane’s passing. 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.”
Veteran actress Jane Fonda posted a touching tribute on Instagram calling the actress a “a spark of life and light”. She continued, “…constantly giggling at her own foibles, being limitlessly creative…in her acting, her wardrobe, her books, her friends, her homes, her library, her world view. Unique is what she was. And, though she didn’t know it or wouldn’t admit it, man she was a fine actress!”
Bollywood celebs also pay tribute
Bollywood celebrities took to Instagram as well to pay their respects to Diane Keaton. Film maker Zoya Akhtar posted, ” “I’ve always loved independent women, outspoken women, eccentric women, funny women, flawed women. When someone says about a woman, I’m sorry, that’s just wrong, I tend to think she must be doing something. Diane Keaton – RIP”
Kareena Kapoor Khan posted on Instagram stories, “Annie Hall, A true artist, rest in glory, Diane Keaton. Thank you for your joyful performances.” While Priyanka Chopra Jonas posted a picture of her with the caption “Queen”.
2025 has been a year of heavy loss for Hollywood, with the film fraternity bidding farewell to some of its most iconic figures. This year itself saw the passing of renowned filmmaker David Lynch and award-winning actor Gene Hackman in the first few months of the year while September witnessed the passing of Robert Redford and now Diane Keaton. The 2026 “In Memorian” segment at the Academy Awards is bound to be a heavy-hitting one.
Diane Keaton was born in 1946 in Los Angeles and was the eldest of four children. She had always wanted to be a performer, once telling People in 2004, “Secretly, in her heart of hearts, she probably wanted to be an entertainer of some kind.” Keaton will be remembered and revered for years to come, not only for her body of work but also for the kind and compassionate person that she way. It is obvious by the reactions of her colleagues and fans, that she is going to be deeply missed. Famously, she never married and is survived by her daughter, Dexter, and son, Duke.