Acclaimed Actress Diane Ladd, Famed For Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Has Died at Age 89.
This Oscar-nominated performer Diane Ladd left us aged 89.
This star, with filmography included National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, passed away at home in Ojai, California. Her passing was announced through a message shared by her daughter, Academy Award-winning star her daughter Laura Dern.
Her daughter, who starred with her mother in various films including Wild at Heart, called her “my incredible hero as well as my profound gift of a mother”, writing that she was present when she passed.
“She was the most wonderful mother, daughter, grandmother, performer, creative as well as caring individual that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she stated. “We were fortunate to know her. She is now with the angels.”
Early Career and Breakthrough
Her initial acting years saw small roles in TV shows like The Fugitive while the seventies featured her performing next to Jack Nicholson in the classic Chinatown.
During that year, the year 1974, she shared the screen alongside Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese’s praised comedy drama the movie Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Her acting landed Ladd an Academy Award nomination as best supporting actress.
Subsequent Years
In the 1980s, she appeared in the thriller Black Widow, a suspense story and funny follow-up National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation while also joining Alice, a sitcom derived from her earlier movie.
In the following decade, she received an additional best supporting actress Academy Award nomination for her role in Lynch’s Wild at Heart where she acted as the mom of her biological child Dern’s character. The next year she received an additional nod for her acting in the film Rambling Rose which also starred her daughter.
“This was the film that Princess Diana selected as her very favorite, and she flew us to England for a royal premiere and a celebration for us,” Ladd recalled of Rambling Rose. “And she sat between us, holding both our hands, with tears, watching us perform.”
That decade included parts in comedy Cemetery Club reuniting her with Ellen Burstyn, the movie Primary Colors, a comedy about politics, with John Travolta and Alexander Payne’s Citizen Ruth, a dark comedy in which she portrayed the mother of Dern again. The decade also earned her Emmy nominations for work in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, the show Grace Under Fire and Touched by an Angel, a drama.
Partnerships with Her Daughter
She persisted in performing alongside her daughter in films blending humor and drama Daddy and Them, the David Lynch project Inland Empire, a surreal film and the series by Mike White dark comedy series Enlightened. She additionally starred alongside actress Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, Anthony Hopkins, a legend in that movie and Jennifer Lawrence in Joy, a biographical drama.
Subsequent TV appearances consisted of the series Ray Donovan plus Young Sheldon.
Filmmaking Ventures
She additionally penned and helmed the humorous movie Mrs Munck, a film that included Diane Ladd and previous spouse actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is a great actor,” she noted. “I’m privileged to have directed him on a project. Actually, I stand as the only woman in history to helm a film with her ex. I humorously say: ‘I say ladies, if you want revenge, helm a movie with your ex.’ However, I’m joking.”
Personal Life
Ladd was also a family member of the great Tennessee Williams, who she called “a significant impact in my life”.
Back in 2018, Ladd was misdiagnosed with a pulmonary condition and told she only had half a year left but she regained full health after her daughter transferred her to another medical facility.
“Should you harness your suffering and prevent it from festering similar to a wound, rather utilize it to explore, to clarify the journey for you and those around, then you are succeeding,” Ladd said.
