Diane Ladd, Oscar-nominated actress and mom to Laura Dern, dies at 89

Diane Ladd, Academy Award-nominated veteran actress and mother of Laura Dern, has died at the age of 89.

According to a statement published by PEOPLE, Dern revealed that she had passed away at her home.

“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.,” Dern, 58, said.

“She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she continued. “We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now.”

In a career stretching over 70 years, Ladd appeared in over 200 films and TV shows, receiving no less than three Academy Award nominations for her roles in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), Wild at Heart (1990), and Rambling Rose (1991).

As per Life After 50, Ladd – who decided to shorten her surname from Ladner when she began working in Hollywood – started exploring the performative arts, acting, dancing, and singing, at a young age.

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 11: Diane Ladd and Laura Dern attend AARP The Magazine’s 19th Annual Movies For Grownups Awards at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on January 11, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic)

Her career on TV bloomed throughout the ’50s and ’60s, while she earned her first official film credit in the 1966 crime drama The Wild Angels.

“I remember when we were filming Wild Angels, my very first film, we were practically children back then,” Ladd told PEOPLE in 2019.

“It was a foggy night, and some bikers came up the mountain and threatened to tie Peter and another crew member to a generator… [but] Peter [Fonda] and Bruce Dern protected us and led us all to safety. His courage always shined through like that.”

Ladd was married to Bruce Dern between 1960 and 1969. The couple had two daughters, Diane Elizabeth, who died in a drowning accident aged just 18 months, and Laura, who would go on to become a superstar in her own right, appearing in films including Jurassic ParkOctober Sky, and I Am Sam.

Diane and Laura appeared in several projects together, with both earning respective Academy Award nominations for their performances in 1991’s Rambling Rose.

Rest in peace, Diane Ladd.

Related Posts

How Metal Barrels Became Unexpected Homes in Northern Russia

Life in northern Russia has always demanded creativity, and housing is no exception. In some parts of the North, the Ural region, and the Far East of Russia,…

How the New Tax Law Is Changing Paychecks for Service Workers

A sweeping tax bill signed into law by Donald Trump has reshaped several parts of the federal tax system, with one change drawing immediate attention from workers across the…

How Public Scrutiny Is Shaping the Review of a Federal Law Enforcement Incident

As Minneapolis continues to grapple with the death of Renee Nicole Good, attention has increasingly turned toward the federal officer connected to the ongoing review. The January 7,…

How Matt Damon Approached Fitness as Craft, Not Image, for His Latest Role

For Matt Damon, physical preparation has long been part of the job, but his work on Odyssey called for renewed focus. Directed by Christopher Nolan, the film required Damon to portray…

How a Family Is Centering Memory and Meaning After a Sudden Loss

As Renee Nicole Good’s family continues to grieve, they have asked the public to pause and remember the person she was beyond the circumstances of her death. Renee,…

How Scotty McCreery Is Turning Personal Reflection Into His Most Meaningful Music Yet

When Scotty McCreery recently shared an update about his next project, many fans assumed it would be a standard announcement. Instead, the message carried a deeper tone. McCreery revealed…