Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton died from pneumonia on October 11, her family have confirmed.
The Annie Hall legend’s family have detailed her cause of death in a new statement, in which they thanked fans for their ‘extraordinary’ messages of support.
‘The Keaton family are very grateful for the extraordinary messages of love and support they have received these past few days on behalf of their beloved Diane, who passed away from pneumonia on October 11,’ reads the statement, which was shared with People.
The family suggested those who wanted to pay tribute to the Godfather star could make a donation to one of her favourite causes.
‘She loved her animals and she was steadfast in her support of the unhoused community, so any donations in her memory to a local food bank or an animal shelter would be a wonderful and much appreciated tribute to her,’ they added.
It was previously reported that Diane’s health had ‘declined very suddenly’ before her death.
A source told People magazine: ‘She declined very suddenly, which was heartbreaking for everyone who loved her.
‘It was so unexpected, especially for someone with such strength and spirit.
‘In her final months, she was surrounded only by her closest family, who chose to keep things very private. Even longtime friends weren’t fully aware of what was happening.’
In March, Diane put her ‘dream home’ in Brentwood, California, up for sale, despite previously vowing to stay there forever, and she was no longer regularly seen in the area walking her dogs.
Another source said: ‘She lived in Brentwood for many years.
‘She loved her neighbourhood. Up until just a few months ago, she’d walk her dog every day. She was usually dressed the same, with a hat and her signature sunglasses regardless of the weather.
‘She was always very nice, funny and chatty. She’d talk to her dog like he was a person. She was eccentric and had this old-school Hollywood aura. She was very, very special.’
A friend remembered the First Wives Club star as ‘one in million’ who was ‘funny right up until the end’.
‘She lived exactly how she wanted to, which was on her own terms, surrounded by the people and things she really loved,’ they said.
‘Diane always had a very strong sense of who she was and how she wanted to live.
‘In these last few years, she kept a close circle and she liked it that way. She was funny right up until the end and she had this way of making even ordinary moments feel special. That was just who she was.’
Keaton never married but is survived by her adopted children, daughter Dexter, 29, and son Duke, 25.
Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles in 1946, and Keaton started her career on Broadway in the late 1960s, scooping up a Tony nomination for her role in Woody Allen’s play Play it Again, Sam.
The late screen star is best known for her roles in classic movies such as The Godfather and Annie Hall, for which she won an Academy Award in 1977.
After her silver screen debut in Lovers and Other Strangers in 1970, her breakout happened when Francis Ford Coppola cast her as Kay Adams – the love interest of Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone – in 1972’s The Godfather, which won Best Picture.
She went on to appear in the full trilogy between the 70s and 90s – all three of which received critical acclaim.
Hollywood stars have paid many heartfelt tributes to Keaton since her death, with Woody Allen one of the latest to speak out.
Allen, who was a frequent collaborator of Keaton’s, dated her after they first crossed paths in the 1960s. They remained friends after splitting.
The controversial 89-year-old filmmaker said the world is a ‘drearier’ place without her.
‘It’s grammatically incorrect to say “most unique,” but all rules of grammar, and I guess anything else, are suspended when talking about Diane Keaton,’ he said in an article for The Free Press.
‘Unlike anyone the planet has experienced or is unlikely to ever see again, her face and laugh illuminated any space she entered.’
Allen added: ‘I never read a single review of my work and cared only what Keaton had to say about it. If she liked it, I counted the film as an artistic success.
‘If she was less than enthusiastic, I tried to use her criticism to re-edit and come away with something she felt better about.’
Allen also wrote: ‘A few days ago, the world was a place that included Diane Keaton. Now it’s a world that does not. Hence, it’s a drearier world.
‘Still, there are her movies. And her great laugh still echoes in my head.’
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
