Diane Ladd, Known For Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Has Died at the Age of 89.

The award-nominated actor Diane Ladd, a Hollywood veteran left us aged 89.

This actress, with roles included National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, died at her home in Ojai, California. Her passing was announced via an announcement from her offspring, Oscar-winning actor Laura Dern.

Dern, who appeared with Diane Ladd in various films including Wild at Heart, described her as “my incredible hero as well as my precious gift of a mother”, stating that she was present as she died.

“She was the most wonderful grandmother, mother, daughter, performer, creative along with empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she stated. “We were fortunate to know her. Her spirit soars with angels.”

Early Career and Rise to Fame

The start of her career included minor parts in television programs such as The Fugitive while the seventies had her appearing alongside the legendary Jack Nicholson in Chinatown.

During that year, 1974, she shared the screen alongside Ellen Burstyn in the Martin Scorsese acclaimed dramatic comedy Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Her acting earned Ladd an Academy Award nomination as best supporting actress.

Subsequent Years

Throughout the 1980s, she starred in the dramatic film the movie Black Widow plus comedy sequel Christmas Vacation and also took part in the sitcom Alice, a comedy program based on her earlier movie.

During the next ten years, she received a further Oscar nomination for supporting actress Academy Award nomination for her part in the David Lynch film the movie Wild at Heart where she acted as the mother of her biological child the character played by Dern. The next year she received a further nomination for her performance in Rambling Rose, another movie that also featured her daughter.

“This was the picture that the late Princess Diana selected as her very favorite, and she invited us to London for a premiere and a celebration dedicated to us,” Ladd said regarding Rambling Rose. “She positioned herself between us, holding both our hands, and crying, viewing our performance.”

The nineties included parts in the comedy Cemetery Club, a film joining her again with Ellen Burstyn, the movie Primary Colors, a satirical film, with John Travolta and Payne’s the movie Citizen Ruth where she acted as Laura Dern’s mom another time. That period also earned her TV award nominations for work in the series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, Grace Under Fire, a sitcom and Touched by an Angel.

Partnerships with Her Daughter

She continued to star with Laura Dern in films blending humor and drama Daddy and Them, David Lynch’s Inland Empire, a surreal film and White’s dark comedy series Enlightened, a TV series. She also appeared alongside actress Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, a movie, Sir Anthony Hopkins in that movie and with Jennifer Lawrence in Joy.

Subsequent TV appearances featured the series Ray Donovan and Young Sheldon, a comedy.

Writing and Directing

She also authored and helmed the humorous movie the movie Mrs Munck featuring her and previous spouse actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is a talented star,” she noted. “I’m privileged to have directed him on a project. In fact, I’m the only woman ever to direct her ex-husband. I often joke: ‘I advise females, should you desire retribution, guide your former spouse.’ But I’m only kidding.”

Personal Life

Ladd was also a relative of the great Tennessee Williams, who she called “a major inspiration on my life”.

In 2018, she received an incorrect diagnosis with a respiratory illness and informed her life expectancy was six months but she regained full health once her daughter moved her to a new hospital.

“Should you harness your suffering and not let it back up similar to a wound, rather utilize it to investigate, to illuminate the way for you and those around, then you are triumphing,” Ladd remarked.