Oscar-Nominated Star Diane Ladd, Known For Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Dies at 89 Years Old.

This Oscar-nominated actress the celebrated Diane Ladd passed away at the age of 89.

This star, with filmography included Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, left this world in her residence in Ojai, California. The news was shared in a statement from her offspring, Academy Award-winning star her daughter Laura Dern.

Dern, who starred with her mother in several movies such as Wild at Heart, called her “my wonderful hero plus my precious gift of a mother”, noting that she was at her bedside as she died.

“She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, performer, creative along with caring individual that seemed almost dreamlike,” she expressed. “We were blessed to have her. Her spirit soars with angels.”

Beginnings and Major Success

Her initial acting years featured minor parts on television series including The Fugitive while the seventies had her appearing with the legendary Jack Nicholson in the classic Chinatown.

During that year, the year 1974, she shared the screen alongside Ellen Burstyn in the Martin Scorsese acclaimed comedy drama Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, a classic. Her acting earned Ladd her first Oscar nomination for best supporting actress.

Later Decades

During the eighties, she was seen in crime thriller the movie Black Widow and humorous film National Lampoon’s holiday comedy and appeared on the show Alice, a sitcom inspired by the film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

During the next ten years, she was given a further best supporting actress nomination for her role in David Lynch’s Wild at Heart in which she portrayed the parent of her actual daughter Laura Dern’s role. The following year she was awarded another nomination for her performance in Rambling Rose, another movie that also featured Dern.

“This was the film that Princess Diana selected as her very favorite, and she invited Laura and I to the UK for a royal premiere and a celebration for us,” Ladd shared about the film Rambling Rose. “She positioned herself between us, holding both our hands, and weeping, seeing us act.”

The 1990s also saw roles in comedy Cemetery Club, a film reuniting her with her co-star Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political story, a political comedy, starring John Travolta and the film by Alexander Payne the movie Citizen Ruth where she played the mother of Dern another time. Those years also brought her TV award nominations for performances in the series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, the show Grace Under Fire plus Touched by an Angel.

Working with Laura Dern

She continued to star with her daughter in comedy drama Daddy and Them, a movie, Lynch’s Inland Empire and White’s comedy-drama series Enlightened, a TV series. She also appeared alongside Sandra Bullock in the film 28 Days, Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian and with Jennifer Lawrence in Joy, a biographical drama.

Subsequent TV appearances featured the series Ray Donovan and Young Sheldon.

Filmmaking Ventures

Ladd also wrote and oversaw the comedy Mrs Munck, a film that included Diane Ladd and previous spouse actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is an excellent performer,” she said. “It was a privilege to guide him on a project. Actually, I am the sole female ever to direct her ex-husband. I humorously say: ‘I tell women, if you seek payback, helm a movie with your ex.’ However, I’m joking.”

Personal Life

She happened to be the third cousin of Tennessee Williams, whom she described as “a major inspiration throughout my life”.

Back in 2018, she received an incorrect diagnosis with lung disease and advised she only had half a year left but she regained full health when her daughter moved her to a new hospital.

“If you can take your pain and prevent it from festering similar to a wound, instead use it to investigate, to clarify the journey for you and those around, then you are succeeding,” Ladd expressed.