Woody Allen's grief over the passing of Diane Keaton
Messages of condolence for the actress, from De Niro to Di Caprio, up to the director who established a long artistic and sentimental partnership with her
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The loss of Diane Keaton is truly indescribable. A multifaceted actress, a brilliant personality, and a star in some of the most important films in cinema history, she established a distinguished career from a young age, after a compelling stage debut and her first prominent role on screen, playing Kay Adams in "The Godfather" trilogy.
But it's her long and fruitful partnership with Woody Allen that has earned her much of the prestige and acclaim she still enjoys today. After starring in the hilarious "Love and Death," the actress exploded into fame with the masterpiece "Annie Hall"—receiving an Oscar and a BAFTA Award in 1978 for Best Actress—and returned the following year in an equally magnetic role in the splendid "Manhattan." Since then, Keaton has continued to elevate the seventh art form with her distinctive touch, combining her innate talent with a captivating mix of charm, charisma, and irresistible screen presence.
Like a bolt from the blue, the news of her death arrived just a few days ago—directly from sources close to her. Her family has preferred to maintain absolute secrecy regarding the cause, requesting the utmost respect for her privacy. Having passed away unexpectedly at the age of 79, the Hollywood world now mourns her passing, uniting, after the shock, in a spirit of solidarity to commemorate her.
Among the messages shared on social media by celebrities was one from Robert De Niro, who wrote about her: "I am so saddened by the news of Diane's passing. I was very fond of her, and the news of her death took me completely by surprise. I didn't expect her to leave us. We will miss her. May she rest in peace."
Leonardo DiCaprio also added: “Diane Keaton was one of a kind. Brilliant, funny, and unapologetic for being herself. A legend, an icon, and a truly kind human being. I had the honor of working with her when I was 18. I will miss her deeply.”
And again, the renowned Jane Fonda said of her: “It’s hard to believe… or accept… that Diane is gone. She was always a spark of life and light, constantly chuckling at her own weaknesses, boundlessly creative… in her acting, in her dress, in her books, in her friendships, in her homes, in her library, in her worldview. Unique, and even if she didn’t know it or wouldn’t admit it, she was an extraordinary actress!”
But more than anyone, after a period in their lives that had also tied them emotionally, it was Woody Allen who appeared devastated by the event. After choosing not to make any public statements for several days, the historic director was described—according to an anonymous source who spoke to People—as "extremely shocked, surprised, and upset. Her death makes him reflect on his own mortality." It didn't take long, however, for Allen to write an essay, published in The Free Press magazine, encapsulating all the love, affection, and esteem he had cultivated for Diane over the years: "Unlike anyone the planet has ever known or likely ever will see again, her face and her laugh lit up every room she entered."
Recalling the occasion when he first met her, the connection between the two didn't seem to have been established during the first few weeks of rehearsals, but it took just the right chemistry during a lunch break for sparks to fly: "If Huckleberry Finn were a beautiful young woman, it would be Keaton. She was shy, I was shy, and with two shy people, things can get pretty boring [...] She was so charming, so beautiful, so magical, that I questioned my sanity. I thought: Could I have fallen in love so quickly?"
Their mutual trust reached such a point that Allen began to rely solely on Keaton for his projects, ignoring any other feedback from critics or colleagues: "As time went by, I made films for only one viewer, Diane Keaton. I never read a single review of my work, and I only cared about what Keaton had to say about it."
And still wondering today, so many years later, what might have led to their separation, he added: “This beautiful peasant girl became an award-winning actress and a sophisticated fashion icon. We spent some wonderful years together and eventually we both moved on, and only God and Freud could understand why we separated. A few days ago, the world was a place that included Diane Keaton. Now it's a world that no longer includes her. As a result, it's a sadder world. However, there are her films. And her great laugh still echoes in my head.”
