The entertainment industry was shocked when the news of Diane Keaton‘s passing came to light. The legendary actress was 79 years old when she died on October 11 in California. Her family asked the public for privacy and provided no other details regarding the actress’ demise.
Now, one of Diane Keaton’s friends has opened up about the actress in a conversation with Radar Online, claiming that she “declined suddenly” and that her death was “unexpected.”
They said,
She declined very suddenly, which was heartbreaking for everyone who loved her. It was so unexpected, especially for someone with such strength and spirit.
The insider added that Keaton chose to keep things to herself, so much so that even her closest friends weren’t aware of what was going on. In their words, “In her final months, she was surrounded only by her closest family, who chose to keep things very private. Even longtime friends weren’t fully aware of what was happening.”
Keaton’s lively spirit did not go unnoticed by her neighbors in Brentwood, especially since they spotted her walking her dog every day and just being the “very nice, funny and chatty” person she was. Another source told the outlet,
She lived in Brentwood for many years. She loved her neighborhood. Up until just a few months ago, she’d walk her dog every day. She was usually dressed the same, with a hat and her signature sunglasses regardless of the weather. She was always very nice, funny and chatty. She’d talk to her dog like he was a person. She was eccentric and had this old-school Hollywood aura. She was very, very special.
So far, Keaton’s cause of death has not been revealed.
Inside Diane Keaton’s Health Battles: Cancer and Bulimia
While Diane Keaton did not disclose any health issues in the months leading up to her unfortunate passing, she has been vocal about her struggles with cancer and bulimia in the past.
The Godfather actress was diagnosed with skin cancer at the age of 21, and she admitted to the Los Angeles Times that it ran in her family. Her aunt, father, and brother had also struggled with it. She said, “It’s family history“, before continuing,
“I remember my Auntie Martha had skin cancer so bad they removed her nose. My father had basal skin cancer and my brother had it. It’s tricky with this skin cancer. That’s why you’ve got to put the sunblock on.”
Like many, Diane Keaton did not pay attention to her skin in her younger days. She added. “I didn’t research and didn’t really care, and that was stupid because it’s dogged me my entire adult life, even recently. I didn’t start sun care until my 40s.”
Decades later, Keaton was also diagnosed with squamous cell cancer, which took two surgeries to get rid of.
As for bulimia, Keaton, too, was made miserable about her body by those around her. While auditioning for a Broadway role, young Keaton was asked to shed 10 pounds, which led to her developing an eating disorder. She told DoctorOz,
It’s true. I’m an addict in recovery, I’ll always be an addict. I have an addictive nature to me. Typical dinner was a bucket of chicken, several orders of fries with blue cheese and ketchup, a couple TV dinners, a quart of soda, pounds of candy, a whole cake and three banana cream pies.
Afterwards, it was brought to her attention by someone that she could have “some mental issues,” which pushed her towards seeing an analyst five times a week. Talking to PEOPLE, Keaton revealed another ugly face of bulimia, which cost her the memories of her time on Broadway: “People were nice enough, but I felt like an outsider. I had a problem — it was sick and creepy. Bulimia takes a lot of time out of your day.“
In 2014, Diane Keaton released a book, Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty, revolving around beauty, aging, and staying true to oneself no matter what.
Diane Keaton’s Friend Was Shocked by Her Weight Loss
The Godfather actress apparently lost a ton of weight before her death, which left her friend stunned. Oscar-winning songwriter Carole Bayer Sager recalled her last visit to Diane Keaton in an interview with PEOPLE.
She stated that she met the actress just two or three weeks before her passing, and her appearance surprised her. Sager recalled, “I saw her two or three weeks ago, and she was very thin. She had lost so much weight.”
As for why they didn’t see each other much, Sager revealed that Keaton had moved to Palm Springs after the devastating wildfires. “She was down there for a while, and when she came back, I was kind of stunned by how much weight she’d lost.”
Talking about Keaton, Sager recalled how she could just light up a room with her energy, and how she was just a “happy and upbeat” person, “taking photographs of everything she saw. She was completely creative; she never stopped creating.“
Sager and Keaton worked together on the latter’s only solo single, First Christmas (2024), a project that the actress “loved” so much that she was “almost childlike about it.”
Keaton may have left the world behind, but her legacy, memories, and people like Sager will continue to keep her alive. From Annie Hall to The Godfather, she was the embodiment of cinema and one of its most spirited performers. Rest in Peace.
Feel free to share your favorite Diane Keaton memories in the comments section below.
