Diane Keaton's close friend revealed that the Annie Hall star had been battling an "unnamed illness" for months before her death on October 11, which occurred as a direct result of pneumonia. Diane's confidant shared with TMZ that the news of her death was "not a shock" to those in her inner circle, due to her aforementioned private health battle. The actress was transported to hospital on the morning of October 11, where she later passed away aged 79.
Her death certificate stated that she died due to primary bacterial pneumonia, with no other health conditions listed as contributing factors. No autopsy was performed, and Diane was cremated. Another close friend shared with People that she had "declined very suddenly" in recent months and withdrew from public life to be with her "very closest family". According to the confidant, the mother of two had not been seen walking her dog in her local neighborhood in months.
Diane's collaborator and pal, Carole Bayer Sager, told the outlet that she had seen the Oscar winner just three weeks before her passing, before adding that she "was very thin" and "had lost so much weight". The songwriter revealed that Diane went to live in Palm Springs for several months after her home was decimated by the California wildfires in January.
"Her house had been damaged inside, and they had to clean everything," Carole said. "She was down [in Palm Springs] for a while, and when she came back, I was kind of stunned by how much weight she'd lost." Diane is survived by her two adoptive children, Dexter and Duke, who released a statement via People just days after her passing.
Watch Reese Witherspoon's touching tribute to Diane below...
"The Keaton family are very grateful for the extraordinary messages of love and support they have received these past few days on behalf of their beloved Diane, who passed away from pneumonia on October 11," their statement read. "She loved her animals and she was steadfast in her support of the unhoused community, so any donations in her memory to a local food bank or an animal shelter would be a wonderful and much-appreciated tribute to her."
"There are no further details available at this time, and her family has asked for privacy in this moment of great sadness," it concluded. Tributes have poured in for the veteran actress, best known for her roles in The Godfather trilogy, Annie Hall, The Family Stone and The First Wives Club.
Jane Fonda shared a photo of Diane on Instagram, with the caption: "She was always a spark of life and light, constantly giggling at her own foibles, being limitlessly creative…in her acting, her wardrobe, her books, her friends, her homes, her library, her worldview. Unique is what she was. And, though she didn't know it or wouldn't admit it, man she was a fine actress!"
Her First Wives Club co-star and close friend, Bette Midler, wrote on Instagram: "The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me. She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was…oh, la, lala!"
Al Pacino, her The Godfather co-star and former romantic partner, shared an emotional tribute to Diane via Deadline. "Diane was my partner, my friend, someone who brought me happiness and on more than one occasion influenced the direction of my life. Though over 30 years has past [sic] since we were together, the memories remain vivid, and with her passing, they have returned with a force that is both painful and moving."
He continued: "People will miss her, but more than that, they will remember her. She left a mark that cannot fade. She was unstoppable, resilient and above all, deeply human. I will always remember her. She could fly – and in my heart, she always will."