Movie Icon Diane Ladd Dead at 89

Ladd, celebrated for her powerhouse performances, Southern charm, and a career spanning more than six decades, died Monday at home in California.

(L to R) Diane Ladd and Laura Dern pose with the Oscar® for Actress In A Supporting Role during the live ABC Telecast of The 92nd Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 9, 2020. Credit/Provider: Todd Wawrychuk / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Beloved actress, director, and author Diane Ladd has died at the age of 89, her family has confirmed.

Best known for several Academy Award–nominated turns including in ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’, Ladd was a fixture of American film and television — a performer of rare grit and grace whose warmth illuminated every screen she graced.

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

"A movie for everyone who has ever dreamed of a second chance."

PGDrama Romance

Audience
Score

Release Date: Dec 9, 1974

Run Time: 1 hr 52 min

Budget: $1,800,000

Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Alfred Lutter, Kris Kristofferson

Watch Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Online

With her honeyed voice, fierce intelligence, and unmistakable presence, Ladd brought a depth of humanity to characters that might otherwise have been forgotten — mothers, dreamers, survivors, and women with something to prove.

Diane Ladd: Early Life

(L to R) Ellery Harper, Jaya Harper, Diane Ladd, and Oscar® nominee, Laura Dern arrive on the red carpet of The 92nd Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 9, 2020. Credit/Provider: Nick Agro / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Born Diane Lanier Ladner on November 29, 1935, in Meridian, Mississippi, Ladd grew up with a passion for storytelling. After studying drama at the University of Southern Mississippi, she made her way to New York, working in theater before transitioning to film and television.

Her early screen roles in the 1950s and 1960s established her as a versatile talent, but it was Martin Scorsese’s ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ — where she played the tough yet tender waitress Flo — that earned her an Oscar nomination and catapulted her to stardom.

Diane Ladd: A Life in Film

(L to R): Diane Ladd and Ellen Burstyn in 'Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore'.

Across the decades, Ladd built one of the most respected careers in Hollywood, with acclaimed performances in ‘Chinatown,’‘Something Wicked This Way Comes,’ and David Lynch’s ‘Wild at Heart.’ Her work earned her three Academy Award nominations, three Emmy nominations, and a Golden Globe win.

She often shared the screen with her daughter, actress Laura Dern, in projects such as ‘Rambling Rose’ — for which both were nominated for Oscars — and HBO’s ‘Enlightened.’ Their artistic bond became one of the most celebrated mother-daughter collaborations in film history.

Diane Ladd: Offscreen and Personal

Diane Ladd in 'Hush Little Baby'.

Beyond her work on camera, Ladd was a writer, director, and environmental advocate. She published several books and, in later years, collaborated with Dern on the memoir "Honey, Baby, Mine," reflecting on love, loss, and resilience.

She was married three times, including to actor Bruce Dern, with whom she shared daughter Laura. Ladd was known among friends and colleagues for her faith, humor, and boundless curiosity about life.

Diane Ladd: Legacy

(L to R) Virginia Madsen, David O. Russell and Diane Ladd attend the Academy’s 7th Annual Governors Awards in The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, CA, on Saturday, November 14, 2015. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Ladd is survived by her daughter Laura, several grandchildren, and a legacy of cinematic excellence.

A Southern storyteller with a spirit as fierce as it was kind, Diane Ladd transformed every role into something unforgettable. Her artistry spanned generations, and her influence will continue to ripple through the worlds of film and television for years to come.

She will be remembered not only as an actress of extraordinary power, but as a woman who lived her life — and her art — with courage, compassion, and conviction.

(L to R) Diane Ladd, Oscar® nominee, Laura Dern, Jaya Harper and Ellery Harper arrive on the red carpet of The 92nd Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 9, 2020. Credit/Provider: Nick Argo / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.