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Diane Keaton | Source: Getty Images
Diane Keaton | Source: Getty Images

'Unique Is What She Was': Hollywood Pays Tribute to Diane Keaton

Akhona Zungu
Oct 12, 2025
07:22 A.M.

From Oscar-winning legends to TV darlings and pop royalty, the tributes are pouring in across the globe — because no one was ready to say goodbye to Diane Keaton.

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She was the offbeat queen of cinema, a trailblazing icon who made women want to wear men’s suits and taught generations to laugh through heartbreak. But now, at just 79 years old, Diane Keaton is gone — and the grief is rippling through every corner of Hollywood.

Diane Keaton at the Ralph Lauren Spring 2024 Ready To Wear Fashion Show at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on September 8, 2023, in Brooklyn, New York. | Source: Getty Images

Diane Keaton at the Ralph Lauren Spring 2024 Ready To Wear Fashion Show at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on September 8, 2023, in Brooklyn, New York. | Source: Getty Images

'Sleep Well, Diane': A Heartbreaking Farewell from Friends and Fans

Keaton's death on Saturday morning, October 11, 2025, came suddenly and without warning, leaving the industry reeling. Tributes from her devastated co-stars, lifelong admirers, and heartbroken fans are flooding social media, each more emotional than the last.

Donna Mills, best known for 'Knots Landing,' posted a touching photo of Keaton smiling at a newborn.

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"The incredible Diane Keaton. This photo is from my daughter, Chloe's baby shower," she wrote. "She was such a major talent and a wonderful Mother as well. Sleep well, Diane. You will be so missed by all 🤍."

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'A Heartbreaking Loss': Michael Douglas, Jane Fonda And Others Remember The Legend

Michael Douglas, who starred with Keaton in "And So It Goes" in 2014, honored her memory with a still from the film.

"RIP to my friend Diane Keaton. A heartbreaking loss of one of the greatest icons in our industry," he shared. "I have so many fond memories of working with Diane on our film And So It Goes nearly twelve years ago. Sending my deepest condolences to the Keaton family during this difficult time."

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Jane Fonda, who formed a fierce on-screen bond with Keaton in the "Book Club" films, wrote with raw disbelief. "It's hard to believe… or accept… that Diane has passed," she began. "She was always a spark of life and light, constantly giggling at her own foibles, being limitlessly creative."

"Unique is what she was," Fonda said. "And though she didn't know it or wouldn't admit it, man she was a fine actress!"

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'My Idol': Cynthia Nixon's Childhood Love for Diane

Cynthia Nixon, of "Sex and the City" fame, recalled idolizing Keaton from the age of 12. "I tried to dress like her. I wore my hair long. I sported men's hats and vests… I wore bookish glasses because I thought they made me look more like her," she confessed.

Getting to work alongside Keaton in "5 Flights Up" was the kind of dream that only comes true once. "I was very shy around her, but I think she liked me and that meant everything to me," Nixon said, going on to add, "She was one of a kind. I'm so sad she is gone. 💔"

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'She Could Do It All': Rita Wilson, Melissa Gilbert, and Hollywood's Sisterhood In Grief

Rita Wilson couldn't hold back her admiration for Keaton's endless artistic spirit "Every time I met Diane she was laughing, smiling, creating, observing, reflecting. Her work as an artist is simply outstanding. She could do it all," she wrote.

"It's so hard to lose someone who inspired us, for many reasons, and yet, so grateful her beauty and artistry will live on. We will miss you Diane," Wilson added. "May her memory be eternal."

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Melissa Gilbert, of "Little House on the Prairie," shared a bittersweet regret — she idolized Keaton so much, she hid it from her. "I didn't want her to know that she was my idol ..so much so..that I knew I'd gush and say something embarrassing," Gilbert admitted.

"I have so many questions for her…that I guess won't be answered this lifetime," she went on to add. "So I will simply say 'good night sweet woman. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.'"

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Goldie Hawn's Gut-Wrenching Post: 'We Agreed to Grow Old Together'

Goldie Hawn, Keaton's co-star in "The First Wives Club," shared a heartbreakingly personal memory of their time together — and a future they once dreamed of.

"I was blessed to make First Wives Club with you, our days starting with coffee in the makeup trailer, laughing and joking, right through to the very last day of filming. It was a roller coaster of love," Hawn recalled.

"We agreed to grow old together, and one day, maybe live together with all our girlfriends," she continued. "Well, we never got to live together, but we did grow older together. Who knows… maybe in the next life. Shine your fairy dust up there, girlfriend. I'm going to miss the hell out of you."

Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn arrive at the 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 16, 2005, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images

Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn arrive at the 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 16, 2005, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images

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'You're Both Idiots': Steve Martin Remembers Her Wit

Steve Martin, her co-star in the "Father of the Bride" films, posted a moment that summed up their chemistry perfectly. "Who's sexier, me or Steve Martin?” Martin Short asked Keaton. Her answer? "I mean, you're both idiots."

Martin captioned it simply:

"Don't know who first posted this, but it sums up our delightful relationship with Diane."

Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who also starred in the Father of the Bride series, said working with Keaton would always remain one of the highlights of her life.

Diane Keaton and Steve Martin are pictured during Giorgio Armani Receives First "Rodeo Drive Walk Of Style" Award at Rodeo Drive on September 9, 2003, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images

Diane Keaton and Steve Martin are pictured during Giorgio Armani Receives First "Rodeo Drive Walk Of Style" Award at Rodeo Drive on September 9, 2003, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images

'Unbearably Sad': Hollywood's Brightest Stars Can't Let Go

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From Bette Midler, who called her "brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary," to Mandy Moore, who saw her as a lifelong hero, the sense of loss is palpable.

"It felt like she'd be here forever, dazzling us with her talent and charm," Moore wrote. "I am so sad she's gone for all the reasons […]." Even musicians felt her loss. Pink, the powerhouse behind "Just Give Me a Reason," called Keaton her muse.

"Her humor, wit, charm, fashion, and laugh. She will be so missed 💔," the singer posted.

Diane Keaton onstage during the panel for "The Godfather" 45th Anniversary Screening during the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival closing night at Radio City Music Hall on April 29, 2017, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

Diane Keaton onstage during the panel for "The Godfather" 45th Anniversary Screening during the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival closing night at Radio City Music Hall on April 29, 2017, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

She Changed Cinema — And How Women Saw Themselves

With her floppy hats, boyish charm, and that quirky, unforgettable voice, Diane Keaton burst into Hollywood in the 1970s and never looked back.

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She captured hearts as Kay Adams in "The Godfather," then rewrote the rules with her Oscar-winning turn in "Annie Hall." She wasn't just acting — she was shaping culture, one tailored vest and oversized tie at a time.

Her legacy lived on in "The First Wives Club," "Something's Gotta Give," and "Book Club" — where she celebrated aging unapologetically, with elegance and a wink.

Diane Keaton wears a white tank top and leans against a brick wall in a scene from "Annie Hall," directed by Woody Allen, in New York, circa 1977. | Source: Getty Images

Diane Keaton wears a white tank top and leans against a brick wall in a scene from "Annie Hall," directed by Woody Allen, in New York, circa 1977. | Source: Getty Images

A True Original, Right Until The End

Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles in 1946, she was the eldest of four. Her mother's maiden name — Keaton — would one day appear in lights. She was a fashion rebel, a rom-com queen, and a woman who gave the world permission to be awkward, brilliant, and entirely themselves.

Her family has not yet released details about her cause of death, and they've asked for privacy as they mourn one of the most distinctive voices cinema has ever known.

She made us laugh. She made us cry. She made us feel. Farewell, Diane — the world already misses your magic.

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