Diane Keaton's death on October 11 stunned fans who were unaware the actress was in ill health. The beloved star died in California at the age of 79, and her rep confirmed her passing but didn't elaborate on her cause of death. During her life, Diane had been open about her health battles and revealed she struggled with both cancer and bulimia.
Here's what she said about her health in the years before she died.
Skin cancer
Diane was well known for her signature style, which included her extensive hat collection. But her headwear wasn't just about fashion, it was for protection. At the age of 21, Diane was diagnosed with skin cancer.
“It’s a family history,” she explained to the Los Angeles Times in 2015. “I remember my Auntie Martha had skin cancer so bad they removed her nose. My father had basal skin cancer and my brother had it. It’s tricky with this skin cancer. That’s why you’ve got to put the sunblock on.”
That being said, Diane confessed she didn't make caring for her skin a priority in her youth. “Back in my 20s I didn’t pay attention much,” she admitted. “I didn’t research and didn’t really care and that was stupid because it’s dogged me my entire adult life, even recently. I didn’t start sun care until my 40s.”
Diana battled basal cell carcinoma first and underwent surgeries decades later when she was diagnosed with squamous cell cancer.
Bulimia
Diane dealt with a long battle with bulimia, which was sparked when she was asked to lose 10 pounds for a Broadway role.
During an appearance on Dr. Oz, she revealed: "All I did was feed my hunger, so I am an addict. It’s true. I'm an addict in recovery, I'll always be an addict. I have an addictive nature to me."
Diane detailed her diet at the height of her struggles. "Typical dinner was a bucket of chicken, several orders of fries with blue cheese and ketchup, a couple TV dinners, a quart of soda, pounds of candy, a whole cake and three banana cream pies," she said, before adding: "Somebody mentioned that I seemed to have some mental issues, so I went to an analyst. I would go five days a week."
Her illness negatively affected her time on Broadway and she confessed: "People were nice enough, but I felt like an outsider. I had a problem — it was sick and creepy. Bulimia takes a lot of time out of your day."
Diane said she "lost a lot of weight" and told People she "became a master at hiding."
Her death
A friend of the star told People: "She declined very suddenly, which was heartbreaking for everyone who loved her". The friend went on to explain that her death was very "unexpected" and that "even longtime friends weren't fully aware of what was happening."
If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Eating Disorders Association helpline at 1-800-931-2237.