Diane Keaton has passed away at 79: Viola Davis, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, and other stars share their thoughts

Friends and Collaborators, Bette Midler among them, Speak of Their Admiration

Diane Keaton who was loved by the audience of The Godfather, Annie Hall, The First Wives Club and much more practically every decade for almost six decades has passed away at the age of 79, said her representative to People on Oct. 11.
Once the news of her death was out, the ex-workmates as well as friends of the late star brought out their emotions. Among them, First Wives Club costar Bette Midler made a deeply moving memorial address.

Bette Midler, Kimberly Williams-Paisley Lead Heartfelt Tributes

Bette Midler paid tribute to her First Wives Club co-star with an Instagram post, including the quote, “Diane Keaton, the brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton, has passed away. I really can’t describe to you how deeply this gives me the heartbreak. She was great, totally unique and totally without pretense … What you had was the person she was … oh, la, lala!”
Kimberly Williams-Paisley who was Keaton’s daughter in Father of the Bride, said, “Diane, it will always be a great moment for me to work with you, and only a few chances in my life. You couldn’t be more unique, and it was so exciting for me to be in your vicinity for a while. I thank you for your caring, your abundance, your skill and most importantly, your laughter.”

Viola Davis Shares An Emotional Farewell

Viola Davis, in shock and grief, posted, “No!! No!!! No!! God, not yet, NO!!! Man… you were the definition of a woman. The pathos, humor, levity, your always present youth and vulnerability — you did not just perform you stamped your SOUL on every single one of them so that it is very hard to think of another actor.”
She went on, “You were not only one but the best of the things you were, and you did it without apologizing for it – the very thing that made you so great and so rare. I loved what you did. Man… have a good rest. God bless your family and I am sure that angels are flying you home.”

Josh Gad Remembers Diane Keaton’s Lasting Influence

Josh Gad Diane Keaton reframed how she influenced her film passion fatherhood experience movies and after that he shared with her the privilege of being on-set. “It’s really a loss of a gigantic kind,” he expressed. “Diane Keaton was in a way very much the core of the concept of my love for movies. Starting with Annie Hall and going through The Godfather films, to The First Wives Club, Baby Boom, Father of the Bride, and Something’s Gotta Give, her career was simply iconic and of the utmost hall of fame quality.”
He also mentioned that when they were together for a HBO pilot that was never made, he had a lot of fun with her: “She was one of the most down-to-earth, and relentlessly funny, and incredibly talented people that I have met in my entire life.”

Luke Evans and Nia Vardalos Remember Diane Keaton with Personal Stories

Luke Evans reminisced about a lovely Wimbledon moment when he posted a 2016 selfie with Keaton along with the words, “Mourning at great loss today. Diane Keaton RIP. Such an amazing actor, a wonderful person, and always very polite and with a bright and unique independent spirit.”
On her part, Nia Vardalos wrote: “Diane Keaton had grace, style, and talent. Most of all she was a comedy gal who always set the bar high for those of us who came after. Rest in peace, dear and funny Diane Keaton.”

Zac Posen Reflects on Keaton’s Enduring Light

On his Instagram, the well-known designer Zac Posen gave a concise and sincere message: “Diane Keaton no longer with us, and her leaving the world with the light she gave on the screen, I don’t know that I could have met her personally, but I know I shall miss that light a lot.”