US actress Diane Keaton dies

NEW YORK,— Diane Keaton, the Academy Award-winning actress known for her offbeat charm and distinctive fashion sense, died Saturday at the age of 79, according to her publisher, Rizzoli.

The company, which released several of her books, called her “an icon whose influence spanned film, fashion and design.”

Her death was first reported by People magazine. A representative for the actress was not immediately available for comment.

Keaton appeared in more than 60 films across five decades, including “The Godfather” trilogy, “The First Wives Club,” and eight collaborations with director Woody Allen. Her signature look, turtlenecks, wide-brimmed hats and tailored suits, became a hallmark of her public persona.

She earned four Academy Award nominations for best actress. Her performances in “Reds” (1981), “Marvin’s Room” (1996) and “Something’s Gotta Give” (2003) drew critical acclaim. Yet it was her portrayal of a whimsical, insecure singer in Allen’s “Annie Hall” (1977) that brought her the Oscar and defined her career.

In a 2004 interview with CBS News, Keaton described the character as “an idealized version of me.” That same year, Time magazine featured her on its cover, recognizing her rise to prominence. Rolling Stone compared her to Katharine Hepburn, calling her “the next great American original.”

Allen, who directed Keaton in several of his early films, praised her decades later when she received the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award. “The minute I met her, she was a great inspiration to me,” he said. “Much of what I’ve accomplished I owe to her.”

Beyond acting, Keaton worked as a director, producer, photographer, and author. She wrote two memoirs “Then Again” (2011), where she revealed her struggle with bulimia, and “Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty” (2014). She also restored historic homes across California.

Her personal life often drew attention. Keaton had high-profile relationships with Allen, Warren Beatty, and Al Pacino, her co-star in “The Godfather.” “Each man had a different decade,” she told The Telegraph in 2013. “Woody was my twenties, Warren was my thirties, and Al was late thirties into forties.”

Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles on Jan. 5, 1946, she was the eldest of four children. She adopted her mother’s maiden name to avoid confusion with another actress.

After studying drama in California, she moved to New York to attend the Neighborhood Playhouse and joined the Broadway cast of “Hair” in 1968, refusing to appear nude in the production.

Her audition for Allen’s stage play “Play It Again, Sam” changed the course of her life. The role earned her a Tony nomination and launched a lasting friendship and professional partnership.

Keaton’s line “la-dee-da, la-dee-da, la-la” from “Annie Hall” became part of film history. Despite controversy surrounding Allen years later, she continued to defend him, saying in 2013, “I still love him, some people stay in your life for good.”

Director Francis Ford Coppola cast her as Kay Adams in “The Godfather” after being drawn to her natural nervous energy in earlier performances. The role helped establish her as one of Hollywood’s leading actresses.

Throughout her career, Keaton balanced comedic and dramatic roles, often portraying strong yet vulnerable women.

She worked frequently with director Nancy Meyers on films such as “Baby Boom” and “Father of the Bride.” She also earned an Emmy nomination in 1995 for “Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight.”

Although she never married, Keaton adopted two children, Dexter and Duke, later in life. “It changed everything,” she told CBS News. “They gave me a purpose I never had before.”

(With files from Reuters)