Diane Ladd dead at 89: Oscar-nominated actress and mother of Laura Dern passes away in California

Oscar-nominated actress Diane Ladd, known for her role as waitress Flo in the 1974 film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, died at the age of 89 at her home in Ojai, California.

His daughter, Laura Dern, confirmed the devastating news in a statement. Hollywood Reporter On Monday.

Dern, 58, wrote: ‘Diane Ladd, my amazing hero and profound mothering talent, walked past me this morning at her home in Ojai, California.

‘She was the most amazing daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic soul that only dreams could create,’ he added. ‘We were so lucky to have him. ‘He is now flying with his angels.’

Ladd earned three Oscar nominations during her lifetime for her roles in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), Wild At Heart (1990) and Rambling Rose (1991).

The artist has appeared in more than 300 films and TV shows, including Stephen King’s 2004 supernatural horror television series for ABC.

Ladd’s other major works include Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983), Ghosts Of Mississippi (1996), 28 Days (2000), Charlie’s War (2003) and Joy (2015).

Her last TV role was on the Hallmark series Chesapeake Shores, where she played Nell O’Brien from 2016 to 2022. Meanwhile, her last movie role was in the 2022 movie Gigi & Nate.

The star even took time during her career to write and direct the critically acclaimed film Mrs. Munck.

Dern and Ladd made history as the first mother and daughter to be nominated for an acting Oscar in the same year for their performance in Rambling Rose.

According to Deadline, Rambling Rose ‘was chosen by the late Princess Diana as one of her favourites, and had its Royal premiere in London, where the actresses were thrown a party in her honour’.

In 2018, Ladd was given just six months to live after being misdiagnosed with pneumonia after inhaling toxic spray from a farm near his home.

This caused the esophagus to narrow.

Unsatisfied with the diagnosis or prognosis, Dern transferred him to another hospital, where he made a full recovery.

The artist has appeared in more than 300 films and TV shows, including Stephen King’s 2004 supernatural horror television series for ABC (seen in 2010).

Dern, 58, wrote: ‘Diane Ladd, my amazing hero and profound mothering talent, walked past me this morning at her home in Ojai, California.’

During Ladd’s recovery, Dern was determined to help her mother rebuild her lung capacity after doctors said long walks could help repair the damage.

Dern was inspired to creatively challenge her mother during walks and recorded their conversations.

These conversations turned into the 2023 joint memoir Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life, Death, Love (And Banana Pudding).

The Telegraph’s review of the book called it: ‘The best, truest, most surprisingly entertaining Hollywood memoir… also one of the fondest.’

Ladd earned three Oscar nominations during her lifetime for her roles in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), Wild at Heart (1990), and Rambling Rose (1991); seen in 1988

Ladd and Dern photographed at the First Annual Actors Studio Awards Dinner held at the Waldorf Hotel in New York

At one point in the book, the mother-daughter duo reminisce about Dern’s difficult teenage years.

‘Do you think I screwed you up?’ Ladd asks Dern. ‘Absolutely,’ Dern replies.

“I’m sure you’re thinking about that time I spanked you,” Ladd says. ‘You dissed me and I had a terrible day. You were only ten years old and you said something truly teenage in front of your refrigerator… “What am I doing wrong as a parent?” I thought.

Stating that she was disappointed that Ladd did not apologize, Dern stated that she was 14 years old at the time and reminded her mother that “she was really unhappy at work and wanted to come home and blame someone else.”

Dern admitted to People in 2018 that her mother tried to dissuade her from acting.

Ladd’s other major works include Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), 28 Days (2000), Charlie’s War (2003), Joy (2015) and Gigi & Nate (2022).

‘I think my mother’s words were: ‘Be a lawyer, be a doctor, be a leper missionary, but don’t be an actor!” he thought.

Regardless, the duo has shared the screen many times for Enlightened, Inland Empire, Damaged Care, Daddy & Them, Citizen Ruth, The Siege At Ruby Ridge and more.

Dern was the second daughter of Ladd and her ex-husband, actor Bruce Dern, 89.

Bruce shared kind words about Diane in his statement. Us Weekly Monday.

“He lived a good life,” the two-time Oscar nominee said. ‘He saw things as they were.’

Bruce described Diane, to whom he was married from 1960 to 1969, as ‘funny, smart, gracious’ and a ‘great teammate to her fellow players.’

The Nebraska actress added: ‘But most importantly to me, she was a wonderful mother to our incredibly wonderful daughter. And for that I will be forever grateful.’

Their first child, a daughter named Diane, died when she was 18 months old after falling into the pool and hitting her head. Laura was born five years later.

In addition to Dern, Ladd is survived by his two grandchildren, Ellery Walker Harper, 24, and Jaya Harper, 20.