Bette Midler, Reese Witherspoon, Ben Stiller and More Remember Diane Keaton: ‘Brilliant, Beautiful, Extraordinary’
News of Diane Keaton’s death Saturday prompted a deluge of tributes in honor of the late star. Bette Midler, who costarred in “The First Wives Club” alongside Keaton, remembered her friend as “brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary.”
Midler was hardly the only celebrity who took time to praise Keaton, personally and professionally.
Reese Witherspoon, who was hosting her “Shine Away” event in Los Angeles on Saturday, told attendees a story about how Keaton was on of her first mentors when she came to Hollywood at age 15.
Witherspoon shared how Keaton loved her accent – and hired her immediately. “She is such an original. If you just close your eyes an imagine her … she is just incredible, and indelible, and such an original person,” she said.
“Diane Keaton. One of the greatest film actors ever,” wrote Ben Stiller on X. “An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.”
Piers Morgan also offered a tribute. “RIP Diane Keaton, 79. Oscar-winning star of Annie Hall, brilliant in the Godfather and Father of the Bride movies,” he wrote. “One of Hollywood’s greatest actresses, and a delightful lady. Sad news.”
“RIP to one of America’s most graceful, elegant, and fiercely talented muses Diane Keaton who maintained a sense of self throughout her many roles that was a reminder to me as a young performer that the most interesting person you can mine are the many aspects of yourself,” playwright Jeremy O. Harris also said on the platform.
Bette Midler, who starred alongside Keaton in “The First Wives Club,” wrote on Instagram, “The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me. She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was…oh, la, lala!”
Kate Hudson, whose mother Goldie Hawn also starred in the 1996 movie, shared a scene from the film and wrote, “We love you so much Diane ” on Instagram.
Jennifer Tilly, who starred in the 1991 movie “Sister Mary Explains It All” with Keaton, wrote on X, “Diane was so warm and wonderful, and had a great sense of humor. I loved working with her. I still have the beautifully engraved bible that she gave me as a wrap present. She was a truly unique individual. Such a loss.”
“Surely not. What an absolute heartbreak,” Minnie Driver wrote on Instagram. “The most generous – gave me advice, read scripts for opinion , told me to toughen up . So beloved by so many. Iconic artist . How lucky we were to have all been here at the same time.”
“No!! No!!! No!! God, not yet, NO!!! Man… you defined womanhood,” Viola Davis wrote on the same platform. “The pathos, humor, levity, your ever-present youthfulness and vulnerability — you tattooed your SOUL into every role, making it impossible to imagine anyone else inhabiting them. You were undeniably, unapologetically YOU!!! Loved you. Man… rest well. God bless your family, and I know angels are flying you home.”
Melissa Gilbert also wrote, “I am so, so sad to hear that Diane Keaton has passed. It seems unreal to me that someone so vital and vibrant is gone. I know that she will live on through her extraordinary body of work and, most importantly, through her beloved children…but to imagine a world without her here seems…impossible. People often ask me who my idol is and I’ve never really answered truthfully because I hoped our paths would cross again (they did once when I was seventeen) and I didn’t want her to know that she was my idol ..so much so..that I knew I’d gush and say something embarrassing…I kept it to myself, so that if we ever did meet, she wouldn’t know what a dufus I am in advance. My giddiness and idolatry would roll out slowly (hopefully) so that I might be able to chat with her like a (semi) normal person for a minute. I loved everything about her. Her versatility and facility as an actor. Her style for sure. Her independence . Her humor. Her smile. Her whole being. I have so many questions for her…that I guess won’t be answered this lifetime. So I will simply say ‘good night sweet woman. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest’ with undying love, me (your biggest fan).”
Rosie O’Donnell shared, “oh this breaks my heart – love to her children- what style what grace – she will be missed.”
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