Oscar-Nominated Star Diane Ladd, Known For Her Role in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Has Died at Age 89.
This award-nominated actor Diane Ladd passed away 89 years old.
The actress, whose roles included National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, left this world in her residence in California’s Ojai. The news was shared via an announcement from her child, Academy Award-winning star Laura Dern.
Her daughter, who appeared with her mom in several movies like Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose, referred to her as “my wonderful hero plus my special gift as a mother”, stating that she was present during her final moments.
“She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, star, artist as well as empathetic spirit that felt like a dream come true,” she wrote. “We were blessed to have her. Her spirit soars with angels.”
Initial Roles and Rise to Fame
The start of her career saw supporting roles in television programs such as Perry Mason while the seventies featured her performing next to Jack Nicholson in Chinatown.
That very year, 1974, she performed with Ellen Burstyn in Scorsese’s acclaimed dramatic comedy the movie Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Her role landed Ladd her initial Oscar nod as best supporting actress.
Subsequent Years
Throughout the 1980s, she was seen in the thriller the movie Black Widow as well as humorous film National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and also took part in Alice, a television series based on her earlier movie.
During the next ten years, she received another supporting actress Oscar nomination for her performance in Lynch’s Wild at Heart where she played the mom of her actual daughter Dern’s character. The next year she received an additional nod for her role in Rambling Rose, another movie which included her daughter.
“This was the picture that the late Princess Diana chose as her absolutely favorite, and she invited Laura and I to England for a special screening and a party for us,” Ladd shared about the film Rambling Rose. “She positioned herself between us, holding both our hands, with tears, watching us perform.”
The 1990s featured performances in comedy Cemetery Club, a film reuniting her with Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political comedy, featuring John Travolta and the film by Alexander Payne the movie Citizen Ruth where she played Dern’s mother once more. The decade also brought her nominations for Emmy Awards for performances in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, Grace Under Fire and Touched by an Angel, a drama.
Collaborations with Daughter
She kept appearing alongside her daughter in dramatic comedies Daddy and Them, a movie, Lynch’s Inland Empire and White’s comedy-drama series Enlightened, a TV series. She additionally starred alongside actress Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, a movie, Sir Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian and with Jennifer Lawrence in Joy, a biographical drama.
Her later TV roles included Ray Donovan, a drama and Young Sheldon, a comedy.
Filmmaking Ventures
She also authored and directed the humorous movie the movie Mrs Munck which starred her and previous spouse actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is an excellent performer,” she noted. “I’m privileged to have directed him in a movie. In fact, I’m the only woman in history to direct her ex-husband. I humorously say: ‘I tell women, if you seek payback, guide your former spouse.’ However, I’m joking.”
Personal Connections
She happened to be the third cousin of playwright Tennessee Williams, who she called “a significant impact in my life”.
During 2018, doctors misdiagnosed Ladd with lung disease and advised she had just six months to live yet she recovered completely once her daughter moved her to another medical facility.
“When you use your pain and not let it back up like a sore or something, instead use it to explore, to illuminate the way for personal and collective growth, then you are winning,” Ladd remarked.
