Academy Award-Winner Diane Keaton Dies at Age 79

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report the passing of acclaimed actor Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning star of stage and screen. Keaton's death was first reported on Saturday, October 11. According to People magazine, Keaton passed in Los Angeles at age 79.

Before making her mark on screen, Keaton's professional career began in the theatre. She made her Broadway debut in the groundbreaking rock musical Hair in 1968, famously declining to join the cast in its nude scene. The following year, she originated the female lead opposite Woody Allen in Play It Again, Sam, first on Broadway, and later in the 1972 film adaptation. 

Keaton gained international recognition for her performance as Kay Adams Corleone in The Godfather franchise. In 1977, Keaton won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the title role in Woody Allen's Annie Hall. 

Keaton would go on to earn her additional Oscar nominations for her roles in Reds, Marvin’s Room, and Something’s Gotta Give.

Keaton’s career spanned more than five decades, with acclaimed performances in The First Wives Club, Baby Boom, Father of the Bride, and Book Club, as well as directing credits that included Unstrung Heroes and Hanging Up. She also published several bestselling memoirs and curated photography and architecture books and collections. Keaton also expressed herself through the art of fashion and was widely celebrated for her distinct personal style.

Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles on January 5, 1946, she adopted her mother’s maiden name when she moved to New York to pursue acting. In high school, she performed the role of as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire and performed the role of Carrie Pipperidge in a college production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel.