Diane Ladd, Known For Her Performance in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Has Died at Age 89.
The Oscar-nominated actor Diane Ladd has died 89 years old.
The actor, with filmography included Chinatown, died at her home in Ojai, California. The news was revealed via an announcement shared by her child, Academy Award-winning star Laura Dern, her daughter.
Dern, who starred with her mother in a number of films like Rambling Rose, described her as “my incredible hero plus my special gift of a mother”, stating that she was at her bedside during her final moments.
“She was the greatest mother, daughter, grandmother, star, artist along with empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she wrote. “We were fortunate to know her. She is flying with her angels now.”
Early Career and Major Success
The start of her career featured minor parts in TV shows like The Fugitive whereas that decade featured her performing alongside actor Jack Nicholson in Chinatown.
During that year, 1974, she performed with Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese’s celebrated dramatic comedy the movie Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. The performance landed Ladd her first Oscar nomination as best supporting actress.
1980s and Beyond
Throughout the 1980s, she was seen in crime thriller the movie Black Widow and comedy sequel National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and also took part in Alice, a sitcom derived from the film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
During the next ten years, she was given an additional Oscar nomination for supporting actress nomination for her part in the David Lynch film Wild at Heart where she acted as the mom of her real-life daughter Laura Dern’s role. The following year she was awarded another nomination for her role in Rambling Rose that also featured Dern.
“This was the film that the late Princess Diana chose as her absolutely favorite, and she brought us to the UK for a royal premiere and a celebration in our honor,” Ladd recalled about the film Rambling Rose. “She positioned herself between us, taking our hands, and weeping, seeing us act.”
That decade also saw roles in humorous films Cemetery Club joining her again with Burstyn, Primary Colors, a comedy about politics, featuring John Travolta and Payne’s Citizen Ruth where she acted as Laura Dern’s mom another time. Those years also earned her Emmy nominations for roles in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, the show Grace Under Fire and Touched by an Angel, a drama.
Partnerships with Her Daughter
She persisted in performing with her daughter in films blending humor and drama Daddy and Them, David Lynch’s Inland Empire and the series by Mike White comedy-drama series Enlightened. She additionally starred alongside Sandra Bullock, a star in the film 28 Days, Anthony Hopkins, a legend in The World’s Fastest Indian and with Jennifer Lawrence in Joy.
Subsequent TV appearances included Ray Donovan plus Young Sheldon.
Filmmaking Ventures
She also authored and oversaw the comedy film Mrs Munck, a film featuring herself and ex-husband actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is an excellent performer,” she said. “I was honored to direct him on a project. In fact, I am the sole female in recorded history to direct her ex-husband. I make a joke: ‘I advise females, should you desire retribution, guide your former spouse.’ However, I’m joking.”
Personal Connections
Ladd was also a relative of playwright Tennessee Williams, who she called “a significant impact on my life”.
Back in 2018, doctors misdiagnosed Ladd with a respiratory illness and informed she only had half a year left yet she recovered completely when her daughter transferred her to another medical facility.
“If you can take your pain and not let it back up similar to a wound, rather utilize it to explore, to make the path clearer for you and those around, then you are triumphing,” Ladd said.
