Diane Keaton’s Friend Details Final Weeks Before Her Death
Diane Keaton’s loved ones are still reeling after her death.
Following the Father of the Bride’s death at age 79 on Oct. 11, her longtime friend Carole Bayer Sager—a Grammy and Oscar-winning songwriter—detailed her last visit with Diane, which she said occurred only “two to three weeks ago.”
“She was very thin,” Carole recalled to People, saying she’d been surprised by Diane’s appearance. “She had lost so much weight.”
The 81-year-old—who co-wrote Diane’s single “First Christmas”—shared she’d seen the First Wives Club actress less frequently this year, as Diane had spent more time in Palm Springs after her home had been damaged in the California wildfires.
“She was down there for a while, and when she came back,” Carole said, “I was kind of stunned by how much weight she’d lost.”
But despite any challenges Diane—whose cause of death has not yet been shared—may have been enduring, Carole detailed her impact on all those around her.
“She was a magic light for everyone,” she gushed. “I just loved her. She was so special, she just lit up a room with her energy. She was happy and upbeat and taking photographs of everything she saw.”
Carole added, “She was completely creative; she never stopped creating.”
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And indeed, just 10 months before her death, Diane detailed how Carole helped her achieve a lifelong dream: releasing “First Christmas,” her debut solo.
“I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S FINALLY HERE!” Diane wrote on Instagram in November 2024. “MY DEBUT HOLIDAY SINGLE, ‘FIRST CHRISTMAS,’ IS COMING OUT FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH.”
She added, “SO EXCITED TO SHARE THIS SONG WITH YOU ALL.”
It was a creative milestone Diane had always wanted to achieve, telling Richard Crouse during a 2014 interview she’d dreamed of being a nightclub singer throughout her youth.
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For Carole, collaborating on “First Christmas” with Diane are memories she will always hold close.
“She so loved recording this song,” she recalled. “She was almost childlike about it.”
She continued, “She was so authentic when she sang it, I mean, she just sang it like she was singing it, and she was sort of acting it, you know, because she is a great actress. And then she’d start to cry when she was singing it. But she did such a beautiful job.”
Keep reading for more tributes from Diane’s many collaborators and loved ones.
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Andy Garcia
“The magical Diane Keaton has passed,” he wrote on social media. “Diane will be deeply missed. She will continue to be an American original. A truly unique and sublime artist. A unicorn of sorts. No one like her. Her light will continue to shine forever.”
He continued, “In fact, it will shine even brighter as the years pass. A beacon of spontaneity and originality that we all strive for. I was blessed to be in her light. I will carry it with me forever.”
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Michael Douglas
“RIP to my friend Diane Keaton. A heartbreaking loss of one of the greatest icons in our industry,” he wrote on Instagram. “I have so many fond memories of working with Diane on our film And So It Goes nearly twelve years ago. Sending my deepest condolences to the Keaton family during this difficult time.”
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Cynthia Nixon
“When I was a kid, Diane Keaton was my absolute idol,” the Sex and the City alum wrote. “I loved her acting. I loved her vibe. I loved her everything. Starting with when I was 12, I tried to dress like her. I wore my hair long. I sported men’s hats and vests and (even though my eyes were fine) I wore bookish glasses because I thought they made me look more like her.”
She continued, “A little more than a decade ago I got to be in a movie called Five Flights Up with her and it was like a dream come true. I was very shy around her, but I think she liked me and that meant everything to me.”
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Sarah Jessica Parker
“Diane Keaton has been a point of inspiration for countless actresses,” she wrote. “I include myself among those who loved and admired her. I was very privileged to witness her singular skill and talent on both First Wives Club and The Family Stone.”
She continued, “I will cherish those memories on set as well her touching, delightful and perfectly own cinematic career. Which is a gorgeous legacy of an exquisite person. She will be terribly missed.”
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Leonardo DiCaprio
The actor remembered his time working with Diane early in his career, writing, “Diane Keaton was one of a kind. Brilliant, funny, and unapologetically herself. A legend, an icon, and a truly kind human being.”
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Steve Martin
The comedian shared a screenshot of an article, in which Martin Short asked Diane, “Who’s sexier, me or Steve Martin?” To which Diane replied, “I mean, you’re both idiots.”
Steve captioned his post, “Don’t know who first posted this, but it sums up our delightful relationship with Diane.”
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Kate Hudson
Under a scene from First Wives Club, Kate wrote on social media, “We love you so much Diane.”
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Melissa Rivers
“Diane Keaton could do anything,” she wrote on Instagram. “From dramatic roles like Kay Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, to her hilariously offbeat portrayal of Annie Hall, which won her an Oscar, her talent seemed limitless. I also remember her lovely cold call to my mom after the release of her documentary, A Piece of Work, just to share her admiration. She will be greatly missed.”
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Octavia Spencer
“Today we lost a true original,” she said. “@diane_keaton wasn’t just an actress: she was a force. a woman who showed us that being yourself is the most powerful thing you can be.”
She continued, “From Annie Hall to Something’s Gotta Give, she made every role unforgettable. But beyond the screen, she brought joy, laughter, and style that was all her own. Thank you, Diane, for reminding us that authenticity never goes out of fashion.”
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Elizabeth Banks
“She was beloved in her industry,” Elizabeth said on Instagram. “Every one of us idolizes her. Her influence on culture, fashion, art and women can’t be overstated. She was a delight. I am proud I have a career that allowed me to meet her and breathe her air.”
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Nia Vardalos
“Grace. Style. Talent,” the My Big Fat Greek Wedding star wrote on Instagram. “Above all, a comedy gal who set the bar high for all of us who came after. Rest in peace sweet and funny Diane Keaton.”
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Bette Midler
“The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died,” Bette wrote in her Instagram tribute. “I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me. She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was…oh, la, lala!
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Kimberly Williams-Paisley
“Diane, working with you will always be one of the highlights of my life,” the Father of the Bride star wrote on Instagram. “You are one of a kind, and it was thrilling to be in your orbit for a time. Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, your talent, and above all, your laughter.”
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Viola Davis
No!! No!!! No!! God, not yet, NO!!! Man… you defined womanhood,” she noted on Instagram. “The pathos, humor, levity, your ever-present youthfulness and vulnerability — you tattooed your SOUL into every role, making it impossible to imagine anyone else inhabiting them. You were undeniably, unapologetically YOU!!! Loved you. Man… rest well. God bless your family, and I know angels are flying you home.
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Luke Evans
“What a very sad day. Rest in peace #dianekeaton,” he wrote on Instagram “Such a brilliant actor, a kind heart and full of graciousness with a shining independent spirit.”
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Josh Gad
“What a monumental loss,” he wrote on Instagram. “Diane Keaton in many ways defined my love of movies. From Annie Hall to the Godfather films, from First Wives Club to Baby Boom, from Father of the Bride to Something’s Gotta Give, here resume was nothing short of iconic and hall of fame worthy.”
“I was very fortunate to work with her many years ago on an unproduced HBO pilot,” Josh continued, “and what I found was one of the most humble, ruthlessly funny, and unbelievably talented human beings I’ve ever come across.”
He added, “In many ways, this year will be defined by the loss of a Hollywood we will never again see. There simply are no replacements for a Gene Hackman or a Robert Redford or a Diane Keaton. They were the mavericks who helped redefine movies for a generation and losing them feels like also losing a chance inactive tissue to that golden age just out of reach. My heart goes out to Diane’s entire family during this impossible moment. RIP”
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Zac Posen
“Diane Keaton is gone,” the designer wrote on Instagram, “and though I only knew her through the light she gave on screen, I’ll miss that light deeply.”
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