Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress known for her roles in Annie Hall, The Godfather, and Father of the Bride, died from primary bacterial pneumonia at age 79, according to a death certificate obtained by People magazine. The iconic actress passed away on Oct. 11 in California and will be cremated, the document said.
Keaton's family confirmed her cause of death days later in a statement, noting their gratitude for the "extraordinary messages of love and support" from fans around the world. "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," the statement said. "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."
A friend of the late star told People that Keaton's health had "rapidly declined very suddenly" in the months before her death. It was "heartbreaking for everyone who loved her," the friend said, adding that her final months were kept private. "Even longtime friends weren't fully aware of what was happening," another insider noted.
According to reports from The New York Times, CBS News, and People, emergency responders from the Los Angeles Fire Department were dispatched to Keaton's home and transported a woman to a nearby hospital on Oct. 11. Details about her final moments were not released, though the actress was said to be surrounded by close family.
Keaton, born Diane Hall on Jan. 5, 1946, in Los Angeles, rose to fame at age 26 as Kay Adams-Corleone in The Godfather before achieving international stardom in Woody Allen's Annie Hall, a performance that earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1978. Over a career spanning five decades, she balanced comedic and dramatic roles, earning additional Oscar nominations for Reds (1981), Marvin's Room (1996), and Something's Gotta Give (2004).
Woody Allen, who once dated Keaton and collaborated with her on several films, mourned her passing. "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," Allen, 89, said in a statement. "Still, there are her movies. And her great laugh still echoes in my head."
Keaton, whose final Instagram post in April showed her smiling alongside her dog, left behind a net worth estimated at $100 million. Her assets included a Bel Air mansion and a Laguna Beach estate. Two weeks before her death, she reportedly delisted her $29 million Los Angeles home after spending eight years renovating it.
The actress is survived by her two children, Dexter, 29, and Duke, 25, whom she adopted and raised as a single mother. Following her passing, Duke paid tribute to his mother by wearing an outfit inspired by her signature "devoted nun" style-a nod to the unconventional fashion sense that made her one of Hollywood's most enduring personalities.
