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This Academy Award-nominated performer the celebrated Diane Ladd left us 89 years old.

This actor, with credits featured Chinatown, passed away at home in Ojai, California. Her passing was revealed through a message shared by her offspring, award-winning actress Laura Dern.

Dern, who appeared with her mom in various films like Wild at Heart, referred to her as “my amazing hero and my precious gift as a mother”, stating that she was present during her final moments.

“She was an exceptional grandmother, mother, daughter, performer, creative along with empathetic spirit that felt like a dream come true,” she wrote. “We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now.”

Initial Roles and Major Success

The start of her career included supporting roles on television series such as Gunsmoke whereas the 1970s had her appearing next to the legendary Jack Nicholson in Chinatown.

In the same year, the year 1974, she performed with actress Ellen Burstyn in Scorsese’s acclaimed dramatic comedy Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Her role earned Ladd her first Oscar nomination as best supporting actress.

Later Decades

Throughout the 1980s, she appeared in the thriller Black Widow plus comedy sequel National Lampoon’s holiday comedy while also joining the sitcom Alice, a sitcom based on the film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

During the next ten years, she was given a further best supporting actress nomination for her part in Lynch’s Wild at Heart where she acted as the mom of her actual daughter the character played by Dern. A year later she received a further nomination for her role in the film Rambling Rose which included Dern.

“This was the picture which Princess Diana picked as her top choice, and she flew me and Laura to London for a special screening and an event for us,” Ladd recalled about the film Rambling Rose. “And she sat between us, grasping our hands, and crying, seeing us act.”

That decade included parts in humorous films Cemetery Club, a film reuniting her with Burstyn, the movie Primary Colors, a political comedy, with John Travolta and the film by Alexander Payne Citizen Ruth, a dark comedy in which she portrayed the mother of Dern again. That period also earned her TV award nominations for performances on Dr Quinn, Grace Under Fire, a sitcom and Touched by an Angel.

Collaborations with Daughter

She kept appearing with her daughter in films blending humor and drama Daddy and Them, a movie, the David Lynch project Inland Empire, a surreal film and Mike White’s satirical show Enlightened, a TV series. She additionally starred alongside Sandra Bullock in the film 28 Days, Anthony Hopkins, a legend in The World’s Fastest Indian and Jennifer Lawrence in Joy.

Her later TV roles featured the series Ray Donovan and Young Sheldon, a comedy.

Writing and Directing

Ladd also wrote and helmed the comedy film Mrs Munck featuring her and previous spouse Bruce Dern. “Bruce is a talented star,” she said. “It was a privilege to guide him on a project. Actually, I am the sole female in history who directed her former husband. I humorously say: ‘I tell women, if you seek payback, guide your former spouse.’ Though I’m just teasing.”

Personal Life

She was additionally a family member of Tennessee Williams, who she referred to as “a significant impact in my life”.

In 2018, Ladd was misdiagnosed with lung disease and told her life expectancy was six months but made a full recovery once her daughter moved her to another medical facility.

“When you use your pain and avoid letting it accumulate similar to a wound, rather utilize it to investigate, to illuminate the way for you and those around, then you are winning,” Ladd said.