Acclaimed Actress Diane Ladd, Known For Her Role in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Has Died at 89 Years Old.
The Academy Award-nominated actress Diane Ladd, a Hollywood veteran has died at the age of 89.
This actor, whose filmography featured National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, passed away at home in Ojai, California. This announcement was shared through a message from her child, Oscar-winning actor Laura Dern.
Her daughter, who performed alongside her mom in various films like Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose, described her as “my wonderful hero and my special gift of 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 fortunate to know her. Her spirit soars with angels.”
Initial Roles and Rise to Fame
Ladd’s early career featured small roles in TV shows including Gunsmoke whereas that decade saw her starring alongside Jack Nicholson in the classic Chinatown.
During that year, 1974, she shared the screen alongside Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese’s celebrated comedy drama Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Her acting landed Ladd an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress.
Later Decades
During the eighties, she was seen in the thriller Black Widow, a suspense story as well as humorous film National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and appeared on the sitcom Alice, a sitcom derived from the film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
In the following decade, she was given another supporting actress Academy Award nomination for her performance in the David Lynch film the movie Wild at Heart in which she portrayed the mother of her real-life daughter Dern’s character. The following year she received a further nomination for her performance in the film Rambling Rose that also featured her daughter.
“This movie that the late Princess Diana chose as her absolutely favorite, and she brought me and Laura to England for a special screening and an event for us,” Ladd said regarding Rambling Rose. “And she sat between us, holding both our hands, with tears, viewing our performance.”
The 1990s also saw roles in comedy Cemetery Club, a film reuniting her with Ellen Burstyn, Primary Colors, a comedy about politics, featuring John Travolta and the film by Alexander Payne Citizen Ruth where she acted as the mother of Dern another time. That period also brought her nominations for Emmy Awards for work on Dr Quinn, Grace Under Fire plus Touched by an Angel.
Working with Laura Dern
She persisted in performing with her daughter in dramatic comedies Daddy and Them, a movie, Lynch’s the movie Inland Empire and White’s dark comedy series Enlightened, a TV series. She was also seen next to Sandra Bullock in the film 28 Days, Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian plus Jennifer Lawrence in Joy.
Subsequent TV appearances included Ray Donovan plus Young Sheldon.
Writing and Directing
She also authored and oversaw the comedy Mrs Munck, a film featuring herself and previous spouse actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is a great actor,” she noted. “I was honored to direct him in a movie. Actually, I’m the only woman in recorded history to direct her ex-husband. I often joke: ‘I say ladies, should you desire retribution, direct your ex-husband.’ Though I’m just teasing.”
Personal Life
She happened to be a relative of playwright Tennessee Williams, who she referred to as “a great influence on my life”.
Back in 2018, she received an incorrect diagnosis with lung disease and told she only had half a year left yet she recovered completely when her daughter transferred her to another medical facility.
“Should you harness your suffering and not let it back up like a sore or something, instead apply it to investigate, to make the path clearer for yourself and others, then you are succeeding,” Ladd expressed.
