Diane Ladd, Celebrated For Her Performance in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Has Died at 89 Years Old.
The Oscar-nominated actress Diane Ladd, a Hollywood veteran passed away at the age of 89.
This star, whose credits featured Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, left this world in her residence in Ojai, California. Her passing was announced via an announcement by her daughter, Oscar-winning actor her daughter Laura Dern.
Laura Dern, who starred with her mom in various films such as Wild at Heart, described her as “my incredible hero plus my precious gift of a mother”, writing that she was by her side during her final moments.
“She was the greatest mother, daughter, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that felt like a dream come true,” she wrote. “We were lucky to have her. She is now with the angels.”
Early Career and Breakthrough
The start of her career included minor parts in television programs such as The Fugitive and that decade had her appearing next to Jack Nicholson in the classic Chinatown.
In the same year, 1974, she appeared with actress Ellen Burstyn in Scorsese’s praised film the movie Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. The performance landed Ladd her first Oscar nomination as best supporting actress.
Subsequent Years
Throughout the 1980s, she was seen in the dramatic film Black Widow as well as humorous film Christmas Vacation while also joining Alice, a sitcom derived from her earlier movie.
During the next ten years, she received another supporting actress Academy Award nomination for her part in Lynch’s Wild at Heart, a cult classic where she played the mom of her biological child the character played by Dern. The next year she received an additional nod for her acting in Rambling Rose which included Dern.
“This was the film that Princess Diana selected as her very favorite, and she invited us to the UK for a premiere and a party for us,” Ladd shared regarding Rambling Rose. “And she sat between us, holding both our hands, and crying, viewing our performance.”
That decade included parts in the comedy Cemetery Club, a film bringing her back with Ellen Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political story, a political comedy, featuring John Travolta and Alexander Payne’s the movie Citizen Ruth where she played the mother of Dern another time. The decade also saw her score TV award nominations for performances 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 with Laura Dern in dramatic comedies Daddy and Them, a movie, the David Lynch project the movie Inland Empire and the series by Mike White comedy-drama series the program Enlightened. She additionally starred alongside Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, Anthony Hopkins, a legend in The World’s Fastest Indian and Jennifer Lawrence in the film Joy.
Her later TV roles included Ray Donovan, a drama and Young Sheldon, a comedy.
Writing and Directing
She also authored and helmed the comedy Mrs Munck, a film featuring her and previous spouse actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is a talented star,” she said. “I was honored to direct him in a film. In fact, I am the sole female ever to direct her ex-husband. I humorously say: ‘I advise females, should you desire retribution, helm a movie with your ex.’ Though I’m just teasing.”
Family Ties
She was additionally a family member of playwright Tennessee Williams, whom she described as “a major inspiration in my life”.
During 2018, Ladd was misdiagnosed with a respiratory illness and informed her life expectancy was six months but made a full recovery 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 use it to discover, to make the path clearer for personal and collective growth, then you are triumphing,” Ladd expressed.
