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This award-nominated performer Diane Ladd, a Hollywood veteran has died aged 89.

The actor, with filmography spanned Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, passed away at home in Ojai, California. This announcement was revealed via an announcement from her daughter, award-winning actress Laura Dern.

Laura Dern, who appeared with her mom in several movies such as Rambling Rose, described her as “my amazing hero plus my precious gift as a mother”, writing that she was by her side as she died.

“She was the most wonderful grandmother, mother, daughter, star, artist along with empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she expressed. “We were fortunate to know her. She is flying with her angels now.”

Initial Roles and Rise to Fame

The start of her career featured minor parts in TV shows including Gunsmoke while that decade saw her starring with Jack Nicholson in the classic Chinatown.

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

Later Decades

In the 1980s, she appeared in the thriller Black Widow and humorous film Christmas Vacation and also took part in Alice, a comedy program inspired by her earlier movie.

In the subsequent decade, she received another best supporting actress nomination for her performance in the David Lynch film the movie Wild at Heart where she acted as the parent of her actual daughter Laura Dern’s role. A year later she was awarded an additional nod for her acting in Rambling Rose which also starred Laura Dern.

“This was the film which Princess Diana selected as her very favorite, and she flew us to England for a royal premiere and a celebration dedicated to us,” Ladd said of Rambling Rose. “And she sat between us, taking our hands, and crying, viewing our performance.”

The nineties included parts in the comedy Cemetery Club joining her again with Burstyn, Primary Colors, a satirical film, with John Travolta and Payne’s the movie Citizen Ruth where she acted as the mother of Dern again. That period also brought her nominations for Emmy Awards for roles on Dr Quinn, the show Grace Under Fire and Touched by an Angel, a drama.

Partnerships with Her Daughter

She kept appearing alongside her daughter in dramatic comedies Daddy and Them, the David Lynch project Inland Empire, a surreal film and White’s dark comedy series the program Enlightened. She also appeared with actress Sandra Bullock in the film 28 Days, Sir Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian and with Jennifer Lawrence in Joy.

Subsequent TV appearances included the series Ray Donovan plus Young Sheldon.

Writing and Directing

Ladd also wrote and directed the humorous movie the movie Mrs Munck that included herself and former husband Bruce Dern, an actor. “Bruce is a talented star,” she said. “I was honored to direct him in a film. Actually, I am the sole female in history to helm a film with her ex. I make a joke: ‘I advise females, if you want revenge, helm a movie with your ex.’ Though I’m just teasing.”

Family Ties

Ladd was also the third cousin of playwright Tennessee Williams, who she referred to as “a major inspiration in my life”.

Back in 2018, she received an incorrect diagnosis with a pulmonary condition and told she only had half a year left but she regained full health once her daughter moved her to a new hospital.

“If you can take your pain and not let it back up similar to a wound, instead use it to discover, to make the path clearer for personal and collective growth, then you are succeeding,” Ladd remarked.