Oscar-Nominated Star Diane Ladd, Famed For Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Dies at the Age of 89.
This Academy Award-nominated performer the celebrated Diane Ladd passed away at the age of 89.
The star, whose credits spanned Chinatown, died at her home at her Ojai, California home. This announcement was revealed via an announcement by her offspring, Oscar-winning actor Laura Dern.
Dern, who starred with her mom in various films such as Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose, called her “my amazing hero plus my profound gift of a mother”, noting that she was present when she passed.
“She was an exceptional grandmother, mother, daughter, star, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she stated. “We were blessed to have her. Her spirit soars with angels.”
Beginnings and Major Success
Her initial acting years saw small roles on television series such as Gunsmoke whereas that decade had her appearing next to actor Jack Nicholson in the classic Chinatown.
During that year, the year 1974, she performed alongside Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese’s celebrated dramatic comedy Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. The performance brought Ladd her initial Oscar nod in the supporting actress category.
1980s and Beyond
In the 1980s, she was seen in the thriller the movie Black Widow and humorous film National Lampoon’s holiday comedy while also joining Alice, a sitcom inspired by her earlier movie.
During the next ten years, she earned an additional best supporting actress Academy Award nomination for her part in Lynch’s Wild at Heart, a cult classic where she acted as the mom of her real-life daughter the character played by Dern. The following year she was awarded a further nomination for her role in Rambling Rose that also featured her daughter.
“This was the picture which Princess Diana selected as her very favorite, and she invited us to London for a premiere and a celebration for us,” Ladd recalled about the film Rambling Rose. “She sat with us, taking our hands, with tears, viewing our performance.”
That decade featured performances in the comedy The Cemetery Club bringing her back with Ellen Burstyn, the movie Primary Colors, a political comedy, featuring John Travolta and Alexander Payne’s Citizen Ruth in which she portrayed Laura Dern’s mom again. Those years also saw her score TV award nominations for roles on Dr Quinn, the show Grace Under Fire and Touched by an Angel, a drama.
Collaborations with Daughter
She kept appearing with her daughter in dramatic comedies Daddy and Them, David Lynch’s Inland Empire and the series by Mike White dark comedy series Enlightened. She also appeared with Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, a movie, Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian, a film plus Jennifer Lawrence in Joy, a biographical drama.
Her later TV roles consisted of Ray Donovan and Young Sheldon, a comedy.
Writing and Directing
She also authored and helmed the comedy film Mrs Munck which starred Diane Ladd and ex-husband Bruce Dern, an actor. “Bruce is a talented star,” she mentioned. “I’m privileged to have directed him on a project. Indeed, I am the sole female in recorded history to direct her ex-husband. I often joke: ‘I say ladies, if you want revenge, guide your former spouse.’ But I’m only kidding.”
Personal Connections
She happened to be a family member of the great Tennessee Williams, who she called “a significant impact on my life”.
During 2018, she received an incorrect diagnosis with lung disease and advised she only had half a year left but made a full recovery when her daughter transferred her to another medical facility.
“Should you harness your suffering and not let it back up like an injury, rather utilize it to discover, to make the path clearer for yourself and others, then you are winning,” Ladd said.
