Diane Keaton, Oscar-Winning Actress Of Godfather Fame, Dies At 79

Hollywood icon Diane Keaton, celebrated for her groundbreaking work in Annie Hall and The Godfather trilogy, has passed away at the age of 79, PEOPLE confirmed. A spokesperson for Keaton said, “There are

no further details available at this time, and her family has asked for privacy in this moment of great sadness.” The Los Angeles Fire Department reported that they responded to her residence early this morning and transported a 79-year-old woman to a local hospital.

Tribute from the film community

The Academy took to X (formerly Twitter) to honour Keaton’s legacy, “Some actors play emotions. Diane Keaton lived inside them. Diane Keaton embodied the contradictions of being human: funny and fragile, bright and bruised, always achingly honest. For decades, she filled every frame with warmth, wit, and wonder. A Best Actress Oscar winner and four-time nominee, her presence shaped generations of storytelling. Her spirit will live forever on screen, and in the hearts of all who saw themselves in her.”

Some actors play emotions. Diane Keaton lived inside them.

Diane Keaton embodied the contradictions of being human: funny and fragile, bright and bruised, always achingly honest. For decades, she filled every frame with warmth, wit, and wonder. A Best Actress Oscar winner and… pic.twitter.com/BqjewFW4MO

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) October 11, 2025

PETA pays tribute too

Animal rights group PETA has also reacted after the death of Diane Keaton, who was a vocal animal rights lobbyist. “Diane Keaton’s impact as a brilliant and talented actor is undeniable, but PETA will always remember her as a true friend to animals,” PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange said in a statement to Men’s Journal on October 11. “At every turn, she used her platform to champion animals, from advocating kindness toward animals often overlooked, such as pigeons, to taking on abusive cub-petting operations by endorsing the Big Cat Public Safety Act, to ditching meat and reminding everyone that ‘it’s nuts’ to eat animals.”

“Diane’s heart was evident in everything she did, and she will be greatly missed by all of us at PETA,” the statement added.

Keaton had opened up about being a vegetarian in a 2020 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald. “I don’t eat meat, I’m a vegetarian and I’ve been a vegetarian for 25 years and I’ve stopped even eating fish,” she said at the time. “I stopped five years ago. I don’t want to eat something that was an animal.”

Early Life

Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles in 1946, Keaton was the eldest of four children. Her father worked as a civil engineer, while her mother, who stayed at home, nurtured her creative inclinations. “She sang. She played the piano. She was beautiful. She was my advocate,” Keaton once told PEOPLE.

She began acting in school plays and studied drama in college before leaving to pursue a career in New York theater, adopting her mother’s maiden name, Keaton.

Rise to stardom

Keaton’s breakthrough came in 1972 with The Godfather, where she portrayed Kay Adams opposite Al Pacino. She reprised the role in The Godfather Part II and Part III. Her performance in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall (1977) earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress, solidifying her status as a Hollywood powerhouse.

Throughout her career, Keaton appeared in acclaimed films including The First Wives Club, Father of the Bride, Baby Boom, and Something’s Gotta Give, garnering multiple award nominations. She frequently collaborated with directors such as Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, and Nancy Meyers.

Keaton also ventured into directing, helming the 1987 documentary Heaven and the feature film Hanging Up in 2000. More recently, she appeared in Book Club and its sequel, and even featured in Justin Bieber’s 2021 music video for Ghost.

Personal life

Though she never married, Keaton had notable relationships with Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, and Woody Allen. She adopted two children, daughter Dexter in 1996 and son Duke in 2001, both of whom survive her.

May her soul rest in peace!