Legendary actress Diane Ladd, whose career spanned more than six decades across stage, film, and television, has died at the age of 89. Her daughter, Laura Dern, confirmed that Ladd passed away peacefully at her home in Ojai, California, on November 3, with Dern at her side.
In a heartfelt tribute, Dern described her mother as “the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created. We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now.”
Born Rose Diane Ladner in 1935 in Mississippi, Ladd rose from modest beginnings to become one of Hollywood’s most celebrated character actresses. She began her career as a dancer, model, and stage performer before training at the Actors Studio and transitioning into film and television.
Her breakthrough came in 1974 with Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, where her portrayal of Flo, a sharp-tongued waitress, earned her an Academy Award nomination. She went on to receive two more Oscar nods for Wild at Heart (1990) and Rambling Rose (1991). The latter film made history, as both Ladd and her daughter Laura Dern were nominated for Oscars in the same year for the same film the first mother-daughter duo ever to achieve that milestone.
Over her prolific career, Ladd amassed more than 200 film and television credits, including memorable roles in Chinatown, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and the HBO series Enlightened, where she starred alongside Dern. She was celebrated for her versatility, her ability to embody complex characters, and her unwavering dedication to her craft.
In recent years, Ladd faced health challenges after being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a serious lung condition. Despite this, she remained active in her career and co-authored a memoir with Dern in 2023 titled Honey, Baby, Mine, which explored themes of mortality, creativity, and their mother-daughter bond.
Her death comes just three months after the passing of her husband of 26 years, Robert Charles Hunter, former CEO of PepsiCo Food Systems, who died in August at the age of 77.
Diane Ladd leaves behind a legacy defined by resilience, artistry, and groundbreaking achievements. She is survived by her daughter Laura Dern, her grandchildren, and a body of work that will continue to inspire generations of actors and audiences alike.
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