Diane Keaton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Diane Keaton
Keaton in 2012
Born	Diane Hall (1946-01-05)January 5, 1946 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	October 11, 2025(2025-10-11) (aged 79) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	Santa Ana College Orange Coast College Neighborhood Playhouse
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1966–2024
Children	2
Awards	Full list
Signature

Diane Keaton (born Diane Hall; January 5, 1946 – October 11, 2025) was an American actress whose career lasted for more than 50 years. She became a famous star during a time of big changes in Hollywood in the 1970s. She often worked with director and actor Woody Allen and appeared in eight of his movies.

Keaton won many awards for her acting. These include an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. She was also honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2017 for her amazing career in movies.

Early Life and School

Diane Hall was born on January 5, 1946, in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Dorothy, was a homemaker and photographer. Her father, Jack, was a real estate broker and engineer.

Her mother once won a "Mrs. Los Angeles" pageant for homemakers. Keaton said that watching the show made her want to become an actress.

Keaton graduated from Santa Ana High School in 1963. After high school, she studied acting in college but left to start her career in New York City.

She studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. There, she learned a style of acting that focused on reacting naturally to other actors on stage.

Acting Career

1968–1979: Broadway, The Godfather, and Annie Hall

Keaton's career started on the stage. In 1968, she was in the popular Broadway musical Hair. A year later, she acted in Woody Allen's play, Play It Again, Sam. Her performance was so good that she was nominated for a Tony Award.

Keaton with Woody Allen and Jerry Lacy in the play Play It Again, Sam

Her first big movie role was in 1972. She played Kay Adams, the girlfriend of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), in the famous movie The Godfather. The movie was a huge success and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. She returned for the sequels, The Godfather Part II (1974) and The Godfather Part III (1990).

During the 1970s, Keaton worked with Woody Allen on many films. They made funny movies like Sleeper (1973) and Love and Death (1975). Their most famous movie together was Annie Hall (1977).

In Annie Hall, Keaton played the title character, who was based on herself. "Annie" was her nickname, and "Hall" was her real last name. The role showed off her quirky personality and sense of humor. For this role, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.

The movie also made her a fashion icon. Her character wore men's clothing like vests, baggy pants, and hats. This "Annie Hall look" became very popular for women in the late 1970s.

Keaton in the 1977 film Looking for Mr. Goodbar

In 1977, she also starred in a serious drama called Looking for Mr. Goodbar. She played a schoolteacher who led a secret and dangerous life at night. The role showed that she could play serious characters just as well as funny ones.

1980–1999: More Famous Roles

In the 1980s, Keaton continued to star in major films. She acted opposite Warren Beatty in the movie Reds (1981). She played Louise Bryant, a real-life journalist and activist. Her performance earned her another Academy Award nomination.

Keaton (right) at the White House with First Lady Nancy Reagan and Warren Beatty (December 1981)

She also starred in dramas like Shoot the Moon (1982) and comedies like Baby Boom (1987). In Baby Boom, she played a busy career woman whose life changes when she has to care for a baby.

In the 1990s, Keaton played more roles as a mother in family movies. She starred with Steve Martin in the comedy Father of the Bride (1991) and its sequel in 1995. These movies were big hits.

In 1996, she starred in the comedy The First Wives Club with Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler. They played three women who team up after their husbands leave them for younger women. The movie was a huge success.

That same year, she played a woman with leukemia in the drama Marvin's Room. Her touching performance earned her a third Academy Award nomination.

2000–2024: A Lasting Star

Keaton's career continued to thrive in the 21st century. In 2003, she starred with Jack Nicholson in the romantic comedy Something's Gotta Give. She played a playwright who falls in love with an older man. The movie was a box office hit, and Keaton received her fourth Academy Award nomination.

She also appeared in the family comedy The Family Stone (2005) and the crime-comedy Mad Money (2008). In 2016, she was the voice of Dory's mother, Jenny, in the Pixar animated movie Finding Dory. The movie was a worldwide success, earning over $1 billion.

From 2016, she also starred in the TV series The Young Pope as Sister Mary, a nun who raised the Pope. Her later films included Book Club (2018) and its 2023 sequel. Her final movie role was in the 2024 film Summer Camp.

Personal Life

Diane Keaton had relationships with several famous people in the movie industry. She was in a relationship with Woody Allen in the early 1970s, and they remained close friends for the rest of her life. She also dated her The Godfather co-star Al Pacino and actor-director Warren Beatty.

Keaton never married. When she was 50, she decided to become a mother and adopted two children: a daughter, Dexter, in 1996, and a son, Duke, in 2001. She said that being a mother completely changed her life and was a very humbling experience.

Keaton was interested in architecture and real estate. She would buy old houses, fix them up, and sell them. She was also active in helping to save historic buildings in Los Angeles.

Death and Legacy

Keaton died in Los Angeles on October 11, 2025, at the age of 79. Many actors and directors, including Francis Ford Coppola, Robert De Niro, Steve Martin, and Woody Allen, shared memories of her and praised her talent.

Diane Keaton is remembered as one of the great actresses of her time. She was known for her unique and quirky style, both on and off the screen. She could be funny and goofy in one role, and serious and emotional in the next.

Her role in Annie Hall made a lasting impact. It showed a new kind of female character who was smart, funny, and a little awkward. Her fashion in the film also inspired a generation of women. Many people loved her because she seemed real and relatable. She was a true Hollywood icon whose work continues to entertain audiences.

Interesting facts about Diane Keaton

• Diane had to change her last name because another actress was named Diane Hall. She chose Keaton, which was her mother's maiden name.
• In high school, Keaton enjoyed singing and acting.
• Diane was a vegetarian for many years.
• At the beginning of her career, she looked up to actress Katharine Hepburn, who played strong, independent women in her movies.
• Jack Nicholson once mentioned that Diane would memorize an entire script before filming began, which was very unique.
• Besides acting, Keaton had many other interests. She was a talented photographer and published several books of her photos.
• Diane was against plastic surgery, believing that her face should show how she felt.

Diane Keaton quotes

• "What is perfection, anyway? It's the death of creativity."
• "A sense of freedom is something that, happily, comes with age and life experience."
• "Just have fun. Smile. And keep putting on lipstick."
• "Memories are simply moments that refuse to be ordinary."
• "Here is my biggest takeaway after 60 years on the planet: There is great value in being fearless. For too much of my life, I was too afraid, too frightened by it all. That fear is one of my biggest regrets."

Awards and Honors

Diane Keaton received many awards during her career. She won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for her role in Woody Allen's Annie Hall (1977). She was also nominated for three more Academy Awards for Reds (1981), Marvin's Room (1996), and Something's Gotta Give (2003).

She received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight (1994). Keaton was nominated for 9 Golden Globe Awards, winning for Annie Hall (1977) and Something's Gotta Give (2003). She also received four Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.

Over the years, Diane Keaton received many special honors. In 1991, she was named the Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year. In 1996, she won the Golden Apple Award as Female Star of the Year, sharing it with her The First Wives Club co-stars Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler. She also received the Crystal Award in 1997 and the Icon Award in 1998.

In 2004, Keaton won the AFI Star Award. She received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Hollywood Film Awards in 2005. In 2007, she was honored with the Film Society of Lincoln Center Gala Tribute. She also received Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Manaki Brothers Film Festival and the Zurich Film Festival in 2014. In 2017, the American Film Institute gave her a Lifetime Achievement Award. Her friend and frequent collaborator Woody Allen presented the award to her. Many other stars, including Steve Martin, Meryl Streep, and Al Pacino, also paid tribute to her. In 2018, she received a Special David at the David di Donatello Awards.

Acting Credits

Film

Television

Theater

See also

In Spanish: Diane Keaton para niños