Diane Ladd, the three-time Oscar-nominated actress known for her roles in films like Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Wild at Heart, has died at age 89. Her daughter, Laura Dern, confirmed Ladd passed away on Monday at her home in Ojai, California, with Dern by her side. Dern shared an emotional statement praising her mother's legacy as an actress, artist, and empathetic spirit.
Diane Ladd's death marks the end of a prolific career spanning decades in film and television. Born in 1935, Ladd earned her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress as Flo in Martin Scorsese's 1974 drama Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, opposite Ellen Burstyn. She received two more nominations for her portrayal of Marietta Fortune in David Lynch's 1990 film Wild at Heart and for Rambling Rose in 1991, where she co-starred with her daughter Laura Dern—the first mother-daughter duo nominated for the same film in the same year.
Career Highlights
Ladd's notable roles also included Ida Sessions in Roman Polanski's Chinatown (1974) and appearances in films like Christmas Vacation (1989), Primary Colors (1998), and Joy (2015). On television, she won a Golden Globe for her role as Belle Dupree in the sitcom Alice (1980-1981), a spin-off of Scorsese's film. Ladd debuted as a director and writer with the 1995 film Mrs. Munck, featuring her ex-husband Bruce Dern.
Active in the industry, Ladd served on the Screen Actors Guild National Board and founded the Art & Culture Taskforce to support education and the arts.
Family Tributes
Laura Dern, an Oscar winner herself, was with her mother at the time of death. In a statement to Deadline, Dern said: "My amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother, Diane Ladd, passed with me beside her this morning, at her home in Ojai, Ca. She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created. We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now."
Bruce Dern, Ladd's first husband and father of Laura, described her as a "tremendous actress" and "wonderful mother" in a statement, noting her contributions to SAG.
In a Variety interview recorded two weeks before Ladd's passing, Dern reflected on her mother's influence, saying: "My mom taught me to lead with empathy and purpose." She highlighted Ladd's ongoing work at 89 and the challenges facing older actors, such as qualifying for health insurance through SAG. The full podcast episode will release soon as a tribute.
