Oscar-Nominated Star Diane Ladd, Known For Her Role in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Has Died at 89 Years Old.
This Academy Award-nominated performer Diane Ladd passed away 89 years old.
This star, with roles spanned Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, left this world in her residence at her Ojai, California home. Her passing was announced in a statement by her daughter, Academy Award-winning star her daughter Laura Dern.
Dern, who appeared with her mom in various films including Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose, referred to her as “my amazing hero as well as my precious gift being my mom”, writing that she was by her side during her final moments.
“She was an exceptional grandmother, mother, daughter, star, artist along with empathetic spirit that seemed almost dreamlike,” she stated. “We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now.”
Initial Roles and Major Success
Her initial acting years featured supporting roles on television series like The Fugitive and the 1970s had her appearing next to Jack Nicholson in the classic Chinatown.
That very year, 1974, she appeared with Ellen Burstyn in the Martin Scorsese acclaimed film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, a classic. The performance earned Ladd an Academy Award nomination in the supporting actress category.
Subsequent Years
During the eighties, she was seen in the dramatic film Black Widow, a suspense story as well as funny follow-up National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and also took part in the show Alice, a sitcom derived from Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
During the next ten years, she earned a further best supporting actress nomination for her role in David Lynch’s the movie Wild at Heart where she played the parent of her actual daughter Laura Dern’s role. A year later she received an additional nod for her role in Rambling Rose, another movie which also starred Dern.
“This was the picture that the late Princess Diana selected as her very favorite, and she flew Laura and I to the UK for a premiere and a party in our honor,” Ladd shared of Rambling Rose. “She sat with us, holding both our hands, and weeping, viewing our performance.”
The nineties featured performances in comedy The Cemetery Club joining her again with Ellen Burstyn, Primary Colors, a satirical film, featuring John Travolta and the film by Alexander Payne Citizen Ruth, a dark comedy where she acted as Laura Dern’s mom again. That period also earned her TV award nominations for work in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, Grace Under Fire, a sitcom and Touched by an Angel, a drama.
Working with Laura Dern
She persisted in performing alongside her daughter in dramatic comedies Daddy and Them, a movie, the David Lynch project Inland Empire and White’s comedy-drama series the program Enlightened. She was also seen alongside Sandra Bullock, a star in 28 Days, a movie, Anthony Hopkins, a legend in The World’s Fastest Indian and with Jennifer Lawrence in the film Joy.
Her later TV roles included Ray Donovan plus Young Sheldon.
Writing and Directing
She also authored and directed the comedy Mrs Munck, a film featuring her and previous spouse actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is an excellent performer,” she said. “I’m privileged to have directed him in a movie. Indeed, I’m the only woman in recorded history who directed her former husband. I humorously say: ‘I advise females, if you seek payback, helm a movie with your ex.’ However, I’m joking.”
Family Ties
Ladd was also a family member of Tennessee Williams, whom she described as “a great influence in my life”.
Back in 2018, Ladd was misdiagnosed with lung disease and told she only had half a year left but she regained full health after her daughter moved her to another medical facility.
“Should you harness your suffering and prevent it from festering like a sore or something, instead apply it to discover, to clarify the journey for yourself and others, then you are winning,” Ladd expressed.
