Sarah Paulson was brought to tears when asked about Diane Keaton, who tragically died at the age of 79 on Saturday, October 11. The American Horror Story actress spoke with Access Hollywood at the red carpet for All's Fair — her upcoming show with Kim Kardashian and Glenn Close. When the reporter asked Sarah about Diane's legacy, the 50-year-old actress became visibly emotional. She responded: "[Diane] was a very dear friend of mine, so it's not something I'm able to talk about yet."
Sarah continued, speaking through light tears: "All I can say and I have been saying tonight, which is important for me to communicate, is that what you thought she was as a performer, she was even more spectacular as a human being. And I was the luckiest person in the world to have had her in my life the way that I did."
The actress met Diane on the set of the 1999 movie The Other Sister, in which Diane played Sarah's mother. The film started a 30-year friendship between the two actresses. Later at the All's Fair red carpet, Sarah told The Hollywood Reporter that she was "incredibly close to [Diane] and this is a profoundly sad time for me."
The Ratched actress continued, echoing what she told Access Hollywood: "I can't talk about it in any way that's articulate other than to say that for all you knew and loved about her as a performer, she was even more as a friend." Days after Diane's death, her family issued a statement confirming what led to her passing.
"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," the statement said. People shared excerpts from her death certificate, revealing Diane was living with a severe bacterial infection, "primary bacterial pneumonia," for days in the lead up to her death.
Sarah's tribute to Diane is just one of many. Reese Witherspoon told the crowd at the Hello Sunshine Shine Away Festival: "I just wanted to talk to you for one second because – and I'm gonna try and get through this without tearing up – but I don't know if you guys heard that Diane [Keaton] passed today."
Reese continued: "What I loved about her is she was such an original, and if you just close your mind and think of Diane Keaton… I guarantee you, from Annie Hall to The Godfather to Something's Gotta Give, she is just incredible and indelible and just a truly original person."
Diane's First Wives Club co-star, Goldie Hawn, wrote a moving tribute to her friend on Instagram. She said: "Diane, we aren't ready to lose you. You've left us with a trail of fairy dust, filled with particles of light and memories beyond imagination. How do we say goodbye? What words can come to mind when your heart is broken? You never liked praise, so humble, but now you can't tell me to 'shut up' honey. There was, and will be, no one like you."