This award-nominated actor Diane Ladd, a Hollywood veteran passed away at the age of 89.
The actor, with credits included Chinatown, died at her home in Ojai, California. The news was announced in a statement by her daughter, Academy Award-winning star Laura Dern, her daughter.
Her daughter, who performed alongside her mom in several movies like Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose, described her as “my incredible hero as well as my precious gift as a mother”, noting that she was at her bedside when she passed.
“She was the most wonderful grandmother, mother, daughter, star, artist along with compassionate soul that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she stated. “We were fortunate to know her. She is now with the angels.”
Early Career and Major Success
The start of her career saw small roles on television series such as Perry Mason while that decade had her appearing with Jack Nicholson in the film Chinatown.
That very year, 1974, she shared the screen with actress Ellen Burstyn in the Martin Scorsese praised dramatic comedy Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Her role landed Ladd her initial Oscar nod in the supporting actress category.
Subsequent Years
During the eighties, she starred in the dramatic film Black Widow and comedy sequel National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation while also joining the show Alice, a sitcom based on Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
In the subsequent decade, she was given a further Oscar nomination for supporting actress nomination for her role in Lynch’s Wild at Heart where she played the mom of her real-life daughter the character played by Dern. The next year she was awarded an additional nod for her role in the film Rambling Rose that also featured Dern.
“This movie that Princess Diana picked as her top choice, and she brought us to London for a special screening and a party for us,” Ladd said regarding Rambling Rose. “She sat with us, taking our hands, and weeping, viewing our performance.”
That decade included parts in comedy Cemetery Club reuniting her with Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political story, a satirical film, starring John Travolta and Payne’s Citizen Ruth where she acted as the mother of Dern once more. The decade also saw her score TV award nominations for performances in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, Grace Under Fire, a sitcom and Touched by an Angel, a drama.
Collaborations with Daughter
She kept appearing with Laura Dern in dramatic comedies Daddy and Them, the David Lynch project the movie Inland Empire and Mike White’s dark comedy series the program Enlightened. She was also seen alongside Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, a movie, Anthony Hopkins in that movie plus Jennifer Lawrence in Joy.
Her more recent television parts consisted of Ray Donovan, a drama and Young Sheldon.
Writing and Directing
She also authored and directed the humorous movie Mrs Munck, a film that included her and previous spouse Bruce Dern, an actor. “Bruce is a talented star,” she noted. “I was honored to direct him in a movie. Actually, I am the sole female in history to helm a film with her ex. I often joke: ‘I tell women, should you desire retribution, helm a movie with your ex.’ But I’m only kidding.”
Personal Life
She happened to be a family member of the great Tennessee Williams, whom she described as “a great influence throughout my life”.
Back in 2018, Ladd was misdiagnosed with a respiratory illness and advised she only had half a year left yet she recovered completely after her daughter transferred her to a new hospital.
“If you can take your pain and avoid letting it accumulate like an injury, rather utilize it to investigate, to illuminate the way for yourself and others, then you are succeeding,” Ladd remarked.
