Diane Keaton’s Friend Details Final Weeks Before Her Death

Updated October 13, 2025

In the quiet weeks before her passing, Diane Keaton—the Oscar-winning star of Annie Hall and The Godfather—was still the same woman Hollywood had adored for over five decades: witty, curious, and profoundly human. But now, as the world mourns her death at 79, one of her closest friends has shared an intimate look into those final moments of reflection, humor, and grace.

“She Was Still Laughing,” Says Longtime Friend

According to a longtime friend and collaborator, who spoke exclusively under the condition of anonymity, Keaton’s spirit remained bright even as her health quietly declined.

“She never wanted pity. Even when she wasn’t feeling great, she’d crack a joke about it. I remember her saying, ‘If I’m going to go, I might as well do it with a punchline.’ That was Diane—always disarming, always funny.”

Keaton reportedly spent her last few weeks surrounded by her two children, Dexter and Duke, at her Los Angeles home. Friends visited frequently, often bringing her favorite snacks—green apples, peanut butter, and the occasional glass of chilled white wine.

Reflecting on a Life of Art and Independence

In her final days, Keaton often revisited old film reels and personal journals. “She was looking back, but never regretful,” her friend shared. “She talked a lot about Annie Hall and how that film gave her everything—freedom, love, and a voice that was truly her own.”

Though she was known for her dazzling filmography—winning an Academy Award for Annie Hall, and starring in Reds, Baby Boom, and Something’s Gotta Give—Keaton’s true legacy, according to those close to her, was her fierce independence and her refusal to conform to Hollywood expectations.

“Diane never needed Hollywood to define her,” her friend said. “She defined Hollywood in her own image—quirky, stylish, unapologetically different.”

A Career That Shaped Generations

Born Diane Hall in 1946, she once said that her mother’s beauty pageant days inspired her early love of the spotlight. After debuting on Broadway in the late 1960s, Keaton broke into cinema with The Godfather (1972), before redefining the modern romantic heroine with Woody Allen’s Annie Hall.

Over the next five decades, she became a symbol of modern womanhood—balancing strength, vulnerability, and eccentricity. Her signature fashion, often featuring men’s blazers and bowler hats, revolutionized how women could express themselves onscreen and off.

Friends Remember Her Humor and Humanity

Hollywood has been unified in grief and admiration since news of Keaton’s death broke. Jane Fonda called her “irreplaceable.” Reese Witherspoon described her as “a truly original soul.” And Steve Martin, who worked with her early in his career, wrote, “She made everyone better just by being around.”

But to those who knew her best, it was her humor that lingered most. “She could make you laugh in the middle of heartbreak,” another friend said. “Even in her last week, she’d tease the nurses. She said, ‘If you can’t find joy in the absurd, what’s the point of sticking around?’”

Her Legacy Lives On

Beyond her movies, Keaton left behind a body of work as a director, producer, and author. Her films like Unstrung Heroes and Hanging Up revealed her quiet strength behind the camera, while her memoirs offered a raw, introspective glimpse into the woman behind the characters.

Her final film, Summer Camp (2024), co-starring Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard, was reportedly one of her favorites. “It was about friendship and aging with joy,” said her friend. “That message couldn’t have been more Diane.”

A Quiet Goodbye

On her final night, her friend recalled, Keaton watched The Godfather on an old projector in her living room. “She was smiling,” they said. “When Al Pacino came on screen, she just whispered, ‘What a ride.’”

There was no dramatic farewell, no grand gesture. Just laughter, soft music, and a woman who had lived her life exactly the way she wanted—fully, fearlessly, and with exquisite humor.

Forever the “La-Dee-Da” Legend

For millions, Diane Keaton will always be the “La-Dee-Da” dame—the woman who made awkwardness cool, turned honesty into art, and proved that authenticity never goes out of style.

As her friend said simply, “She left the world the way she lived in it—with grace, a smile, and a wink.”

Diane Keaton is survived by her children, Dexter and Duke Keaton. She will forever be remembered as one of Hollywood’s most fearless originals.