Oscar-Nominated Star Diane Ladd, Famed For Her Role in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Has Died at Age 89.
The award-nominated actress the celebrated Diane Ladd left us at the age of 89.
The star, with filmography featured Chinatown, passed away at home in California’s Ojai. The news was shared in a statement shared by her offspring, award-winning actress her daughter Laura Dern.
Laura Dern, who appeared with Diane Ladd in a number of films including Rambling Rose, called her “my incredible hero as well as my special gift being my mom”, writing that she was present during her final moments.
“She was an exceptional mother, daughter, grandmother, performer, creative as well as compassionate soul that felt like a dream come true,” she expressed. “We were blessed to have her. She is now with the angels.”
Beginnings and Breakthrough
The start of her career saw minor parts on television series including Gunsmoke and that decade featured her performing with the legendary Jack Nicholson in the film Chinatown.
That very year, 1974, she performed with actress Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese’s celebrated dramatic comedy Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, a classic. The performance brought Ladd an Academy Award nomination in the supporting actress category.
Subsequent Years
During the eighties, she appeared in the thriller Black Widow as well as funny follow-up Christmas Vacation and appeared on the show Alice, a sitcom based on her earlier movie.
In the subsequent decade, she earned another Oscar nomination for supporting actress Academy Award nomination for her part in the David Lynch film the movie Wild at Heart where she played the mother of her actual daughter Laura Dern’s role. The next year she was awarded a further nomination for her acting in Rambling Rose that also featured Dern.
“This was the picture that the late Princess Diana chose as her absolutely favorite, and she invited me and Laura to the UK for a premiere and a celebration in our honor,” Ladd said regarding Rambling Rose. “She positioned herself between us, grasping our hands, and crying, viewing our performance.”
The nineties included parts in humorous films Cemetery Club, a film joining her again with Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political story, a comedy about politics, with John Travolta and Payne’s the movie Citizen Ruth where she played the mother of Dern once more. That period also saw her score nominations for Emmy Awards for performances on Dr Quinn, Grace Under Fire plus Touched by an Angel.
Working with Laura Dern
She continued to star alongside her daughter in dramatic comedies Daddy and Them, a movie, Lynch’s the movie Inland Empire and White’s comedy-drama series the program Enlightened. She additionally starred alongside actress Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian and Jennifer Lawrence in the film Joy.
Her more recent television parts consisted of Ray Donovan plus Young Sheldon.
Filmmaking Ventures
Ladd also wrote and helmed the comedy film Mrs Munck, a film that included herself and former husband actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is a great actor,” she mentioned. “It was a privilege to guide him in a film. In fact, I’m the only woman ever who directed her former husband. I often joke: ‘I say ladies, if you seek payback, helm a movie with your ex.’ But I’m only kidding.”
Personal Life
Ladd was also a family member of playwright Tennessee Williams, whom she described as “a significant impact on my life”.
Back in 2018, doctors misdiagnosed Ladd with lung disease and told she had just six months to live but made a full recovery after her daughter moved her to another medical facility.
“If you can take your pain and prevent it from festering like a sore or something, instead apply it to discover, to make the path clearer for you and those around, then you are winning,” Ladd remarked.