Diane Ladd, Famed For Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Has Died at the Age of 89.
This Academy Award-nominated actress the celebrated Diane Ladd passed away at the age of 89.
The actress, whose roles featured National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, left this world in her residence in Ojai, California. Her passing was shared through a message by her daughter, Oscar-winning actor her daughter Laura Dern.
Laura Dern, who performed alongside her mom in several movies such as Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose, called her “my wonderful hero plus my precious gift being my mom”, writing that she was at her bedside during her final moments.
“She was the most wonderful mother, daughter, grandmother, performer, creative along with empathetic spirit that felt like a dream come true,” she expressed. “We were fortunate to know her. Her spirit soars with angels.”
Beginnings and Rise to Fame
The start of her career saw supporting roles on television series such as Perry Mason while the 1970s saw her starring alongside the legendary Jack Nicholson in Chinatown.
During that year, 1974, she performed with Ellen Burstyn in the Martin Scorsese acclaimed film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Her role landed Ladd her first Oscar nomination as best supporting actress.
Later Decades
During the eighties, she was seen in the thriller Black Widow as well as comedy sequel Christmas Vacation while also joining the sitcom Alice, a television series derived from Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
In the subsequent decade, she was given a further best supporting actress nomination for her role in the David Lynch film Wild at Heart in which she portrayed the mother of her real-life daughter Dern’s character. The following year she obtained another nomination for her performance in Rambling Rose, another movie which also starred Laura Dern.
“This was the film that the late Princess Diana picked as her top choice, and she flew us to the UK for a premiere and a celebration in our honor,” Ladd recalled regarding Rambling Rose. “She positioned herself between us, grasping our hands, and crying, viewing our performance.”
That decade featured performances in humorous films Cemetery Club reuniting her with her co-star Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political comedy, with John Travolta and the film by Alexander Payne the movie Citizen Ruth in which she portrayed the mother of Dern once more. Those years also saw her score Emmy nominations for work in the series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, Grace Under Fire plus Touched by an Angel.
Working with Laura Dern
She continued to star with Laura Dern in dramatic comedies the film Daddy and Them, the David Lynch project Inland Empire, a surreal film and White’s satirical show the program Enlightened. She was also seen next to Sandra Bullock, a star in 28 Days, a movie, Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian, a film and with Jennifer Lawrence in Joy, a biographical drama.
Her later TV roles featured Ray Donovan, a drama and Young Sheldon, a comedy.
Filmmaking Ventures
Ladd also wrote and helmed the comedy film Mrs Munck featuring her and previous spouse Bruce Dern, an actor. “Bruce is a talented star,” she said. “I was honored to direct him on a project. In fact, I’m the only woman in history who directed her former husband. I often joke: ‘I tell women, if you want revenge, direct your ex-husband.’ But I’m only kidding.”
Personal Connections
She happened to be a family member of the great Tennessee Williams, whom she described as “a significant impact throughout my life”.
In 2018, Ladd was misdiagnosed with lung disease and told she had just six months to live yet she recovered completely once her daughter moved her to another medical facility.
“Should you harness your suffering and not let it back up like a sore or something, instead apply it to investigate, to clarify the journey for personal and collective growth, then you are succeeding,” Ladd remarked.
