Tribute to a Legend
US actor and filmmaker Woody Allen paid a long, glowing tribute to Diane Keaton, who died on Saturday at the age of 79. Allen described Keaton as "unlike anyone the planet has ever seen or will likely never see again," adding that "her face and her laugh lit up every room she walked into."
A Lasting Legacy
In a lengthy personal essay, Allen recalled how he first met Keaton in 1969 during rehearsals for his play Play It Again, Sam, before making eight films with her, including Annie Hall, for which she won best actress at the 1977 Oscars. “Over time, I made films for a single audience, Diane Keaton,” Allen wrote. “I never read a single review of my work and only cared about what Keaton had to say about it.”
A Special Bond
In Annie Hall, Keaton played the role of the film’s quirky, insecure and free-spirited title star, with whom Allen’s character Alvy Singer falls in love. The couple was once romantically involved in real life. When Allen first remembered it, he thought, “If Huckleberry Finn [writer Mark Twain’s fictional vagabond] was a beautiful young woman, he would be Keaton.” He added that the world is now a “bleaker” place without her. "Still, her films exist. And her great laugh still echoes in my head."
A Diverse Career
She appeared in other Allen titles such as Manhattan, Sleeper and Radio Days. Keaton remained a supporter of Allen, a controversial figure who was accused of abusing his daughter Dylan, which he has always denied. No charges have ever been brought against the star. She told the Guardian in 2023: "He gave me everything. He really did. Woody took it easy. That helped me tremendously."
Tributes from Colleagues
Los Angeles-born Keaton rose to fame for her role as Kay Adams-Corleone in the Godfather films before appearing in films such as Father of the Bride and Fellow First Wives Club. Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola, like his American filmmaker colleague Allen, also paid tribute to the “extraordinary” actress at the weekend. In a post shared on social media, Coppola said, "Words cannot express the wonder and talent of Diane Keaton. Infinitely intelligent, so beautiful.” “From her first appearances in Hair and throughout her amazing career, she has been an extraordinary actress.” He continued: “I saw her in the film Lovers and Other Strangers and knew I had to have her as Kay in The Godfather (as she told me, she was based on my wife Ellie) and her wonderful work in Annie Hall, all while setting a new fashion trend. “Everything about Diane was creativity personified.”
