Remembering Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton could do anything, at least that’s how it seemed. She created the Diane Keaton archetype – smart but daffy; capable but insecure; iconoclastic but earthy. Keaton played that character so well on film, TV talk shows and public appearances that it became part of popular culture. “Diane Keaton” could subsume other elements that it’s easy to overlook how much more she did, both onscreen and off.

Keaton’s comic gifts became clear through the early Woody Allen films including Play it Again Sam, Sleeper, and Love and Death. When Allen’s films grew more serious in Annie Hall and Manhattan, so did Keaton without losing any of her comic mastery.

Parallel to her work with Allen, Keaton was essential to the success of the first two Godfather films, even with limited screen time. She later used her fame and popularity to take chances in Looking for Mr. Goodbar and Reds. In the 1980s, she excelled in more dramatic roles in Shoot the Moon, Mrs. Soffel, and Crimes of the Heart before pivoting back to comedies with Baby Boom, and, in the 90s, the Father of the Bride films. In 2003, she reignited the screen with Jack Nicholson in Something's Gotta Give.

Keaton also branched out into directing, both feature films and television. She was a best-selling author, a respected photographer and a fashion icon.

Diane Keaton passed away recently at the age of 79. We'll discuss this Renaissance woman's many talents, her signature performances, and why she will be missed so deeply.