In brief
Diane Ladd, an acclaimed actress with three Academy Award nominations, passed away at 89, as confirmed by her daughter Laura Dern. Ladd’s illustrious career included iconic roles in films such as 'Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore' and 'Wild at Heart,' showcasing her talent across decades in both film and television. Dern honored her mother's legacy, emphasizing their close bond and Ladd's remarkable spirit.
Diane Ladd, three-time Academy Award nominee and star of Wild at Heart, has died at 89.
Her daughter, actress Laura Dern, confirmed her death on Monday.
My amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother, Diane Ladd, passed with me beside her this morning, Dern said in a statement, adding that her final moments were spent at home in California.
Dern did not share Ladd's cause of death. She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created, Dern noted. We were blessed to have her.
Ladd's career on stage and screen spanned decades. Her big break in film came in a waitress role in Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore in 1974, which earned her an Oscar nomination.
She continued to appear in dozens of films after that and was active as recently as 2022, when she played a grandmother in the coming-of-age film Gigi & Nate. Her television work also garnered attention.
Ladd was married to actor Bruce Dern from 1960 to 1969.
