Diane Ladd, who was nominated for the Oscar three times, has died at 89.
In a statement to People magazine, her daughter Laura Dern confirmed the sad news, saying, “My amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother, Diane Ladd, passed with me beside her this morning, at her home in Ojai, Calif. She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created.”
Dern, who made Oscar history with her mom when they were each nominated for acting awards in the same year (1992), closed with, “We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now.”
In her final Instagram post, from September, Ladd promoted her 2019 film “The Last Full Measure,” which is just getting a release. That film features work by Ladd, Peter Fonda, Christopher Plummer and William Hurt, all of whom have since passed away.
She also asked her followers if she should start a podcast.
Ladd was born November 29, 1935, in Laurel, Mississippi.
She began working on TV with parts on “Decoy” (1957), “The Big Story” (1958), and “Naked City” (1958 & 1959).
She continues working steadily on episodic TV throughout the ’60s on shows including “77 Sunset Strip” (1963), “Perry Mason” (1963), and “The Fugitive” (1964).
Her first credited feature-film part was in “The Wild Angels” (1966) with Peter Fonda and with her first husband, fellow actor Bruce Dern, to whom she was wed from 1960-1969. They had two daughters, one who drowned as a toddler, and Laura Dern, who followed her parents into the acting profession.
Ladd was a regular on the soap “The Secret Storm” in 1971.
In 1974, Ladd had a juicy supporting role in “Chinatown,” often called one of the best films ever made, and went on to secure an Oscar nomination playing Flo in Martin Scorsese’s “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” (1974). When the latter became the TV series “Alice” (1976-1985), Polly Holliday — who also just died this year — took over as Flo, but Ladd came aboard as Belle for 22 episodes from 1980-1981, winning a Golden Globe for her efforts.
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Ladd enjoyed a distinguished career in film, working many times with her daughter, including in “Wild at Heart” (1990) and “Rambling Rose” (1991) — both of which led to Oscar nominations for Ladd, for a total of three — as well as “Citizen Ruth” (1996) and “Inland Empire” (2006).
In 1992, Ladd worked with her mother, actress Mary Lanier, in the film “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me.”
Ladd’s other films included “All Night Long” (1981), “Something Wicked This Way Comes” (1983), “Black Widow” (1987), “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989), “Carnosaur” (1993), “Ghosts of Mississippi” (1996), “Primary Colors” (1998), “28 Days” (2000), “Joy” (2015), and “Gigi & Nate” (2022).
She also appeared on Broadway, including in her 1968 debut “Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights,” and published the 2006 memoir “Spiraling Through the School of Life: A Mental, Physical, and Spiritual Discovery.”
In 2010, Ladd, her daughter, and her friendly ex, Bruce Dern, were awarded stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a joint ceremony.
Ladd is survived by her daughter. She was preceded in death several months ago by her third husband, Robert Hunter, to whom she had been wed for 25 years.
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