Acclaimed Actress Diane Ladd, Famed For Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Passes Away at the Age of 89.
The Academy Award-nominated actor Diane Ladd, a Hollywood veteran left us at the age of 89.
The actress, whose roles spanned Chinatown, left this world in her residence in California’s Ojai. Her passing was announced via an announcement from her offspring, Academy Award-winning star her daughter Laura Dern.
Laura Dern, who appeared with her mom in various films including Rambling Rose, called her “my amazing hero and my profound gift being my mom”, writing that she was at her bedside when she passed.
“She was an exceptional mother, daughter, grandmother, actress, artist as well as compassionate soul that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she wrote. “We were blessed to have her. Her spirit soars with angels.”
Initial Roles and Rise to Fame
Ladd’s early career featured small roles in TV shows including The Fugitive and that decade had her appearing next to the legendary Jack Nicholson in Chinatown.
That very year, 1974, she performed with Ellen Burstyn in the Martin Scorsese celebrated dramatic comedy the movie Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Her role earned Ladd her initial Oscar nod as best supporting actress.
Later Decades
During the eighties, she starred in the dramatic film Black Widow, a suspense story and humorous film National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and appeared on Alice, a television series based on the film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
During the next ten years, she received a further supporting actress Oscar nomination for her performance in David Lynch’s the movie Wild at Heart where she played the mother of her actual daughter the character played by Dern. The next year she received another nomination for her acting in Rambling Rose, another movie that also featured Laura Dern.
“This was the picture which Princess Diana picked as her top choice, and she flew me and Laura to the UK for a premiere and an event for us,” Ladd recalled of Rambling Rose. “And she sat between us, holding both our hands, and weeping, watching us perform.”
The nineties included parts in the comedy The Cemetery Club joining her again with her co-star Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political story, a satirical film, featuring John Travolta and Payne’s the movie Citizen Ruth where she acted as the mother of Dern again. Those years also saw her score TV award nominations for work in the series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, Grace Under Fire and Touched by an Angel.
Partnerships with Her Daughter
She kept appearing alongside her daughter in comedy drama the film Daddy and Them, David Lynch’s Inland Empire, a surreal film and White’s comedy-drama series the program Enlightened. She was also seen next to actress Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, Anthony Hopkins in that movie and with Jennifer Lawrence in the film Joy.
Subsequent TV appearances included Ray Donovan and Young Sheldon.
Filmmaking Ventures
She additionally penned and oversaw the humorous movie the movie Mrs Munck which starred herself and previous spouse actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is an excellent performer,” she mentioned. “It was a privilege to guide him in a film. Actually, I’m the only woman ever to direct her ex-husband. I make a joke: ‘I advise females, if you want revenge, direct your ex-husband.’ But I’m only kidding.”
Personal Life
Ladd was also a family member of Tennessee Williams, whom she described as “a significant impact throughout my life”.
During 2018, Ladd was misdiagnosed with a pulmonary condition and informed she only had half a year left but she regained full health once her daughter shifted her to a different hospital.
“When you use your pain and not let it back up like an injury, instead use it to explore, to make the path clearer for personal and collective growth, then you are winning,” Ladd said.
