Diane Ladd, Celebrated For Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Dies at the Age of 89.
This award-nominated performer Diane Ladd, a Hollywood veteran left us at the age of 89.
This actor, with filmography featured Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, left this world in her residence at her Ojai, California home. This announcement was announced through a message shared by her daughter, Academy Award-winning star Laura Dern.
Dern, who appeared with her mom in several movies including Wild at Heart, described her as “my wonderful hero plus my special gift of a mother”, writing that she was present as she died.
“She was the greatest mother, daughter, grandmother, actress, artist as well as caring individual that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she wrote. “We were fortunate to know her. Her spirit soars with angels.”
Early Career and Major Success
Ladd’s early career included minor parts in television programs including Perry Mason and that decade had her appearing alongside actor Jack Nicholson in the film Chinatown.
During that year, the year 1974, she performed with Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese’s praised film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, a classic. Her acting landed Ladd her initial Oscar nod in the supporting actress category.
1980s and Beyond
Throughout the 1980s, she starred in the thriller Black Widow, a suspense story as well as comedy sequel National Lampoon’s holiday comedy while also joining the sitcom Alice, a television series inspired by the film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
In the subsequent decade, she earned an additional Oscar nomination for supporting actress Academy Award nomination for her part in Lynch’s Wild at Heart, a cult classic where she acted as the mother of her real-life daughter the character played by Dern. The following year she obtained an additional nod for her acting in Rambling Rose which also starred Dern.
“This movie that the late Princess Diana selected as her very favorite, and she flew us to the UK for a royal premiere and a celebration for us,” Ladd said about the film Rambling Rose. “She positioned herself between us, taking our hands, and crying, viewing our performance.”
The 1990s featured performances in the comedy Cemetery Club joining her again with her co-star Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political comedy, featuring John Travolta and the film by Alexander Payne Citizen Ruth, a dark comedy where she acted as the mother of Dern again. The decade also saw her score nominations for Emmy Awards for roles in the series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, the show Grace Under Fire and Touched by an Angel, a drama.
Working with Laura Dern
She kept appearing with her daughter in comedy drama the film Daddy and Them, David Lynch’s Inland Empire, a surreal film and Mike White’s satirical show Enlightened, a TV series. She additionally starred with actress Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, Anthony Hopkins, a legend in The World’s Fastest Indian and with Jennifer Lawrence in Joy.
Her later TV roles consisted of Ray Donovan and Young Sheldon.
Filmmaking Ventures
Ladd also wrote and oversaw the comedy film Mrs Munck, a film that included her and former husband Bruce Dern, an actor. “Bruce is a talented star,” she noted. “It was a privilege to guide him on a project. Indeed, I’m the only woman ever who directed her former husband. I humorously say: ‘I say ladies, if you want revenge, direct your ex-husband.’ Though I’m just teasing.”
Personal Connections
Ladd was also a family member of Tennessee Williams, whom she described as “a great influence in my life”.
In 2018, Ladd was misdiagnosed with lung disease and told her life expectancy was six months but made a full recovery after her daughter transferred her to a new hospital.
“Should you harness your suffering and not let it back up like an injury, instead use it to investigate, to illuminate the way for you and those around, then you are succeeding,” Ladd said.