Diane Keaton biography, age, young, net worth, husband, children 2025

Diane Keaton's Biography

Diane Keaton is an American actress, director, and producer. She is an Oscar and BAFTA winner and has received two Golden Globe Awards. Keaton's most notable roles include her performances in "The Godfather" series (1972), "Love and Death" (1975), "Annie Hall" (1977), "Reds" (1981), "Marvin's Room" (1996), and many more.

Childhood and Youth

Diane Keaton (Hall) was born on January 5, 1946 in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Dorothy Deanne Keaton (1921–2008), was a homemaker and amateur photographer; her father, John Newton Ignatius "Jack" Hall (1922–1990), worked as a real estate broker and civil engineer. Diane is the eldest child in the family; she has two sisters, Dorrie and Robin, and a brother, Randy.

The major responsibility for raising their daughter fell on Dorothy, a member of the Free Methodist Church. This lively, active, and artistic woman greatly inspired young Diane. When her mother won the "Mrs. Los Angeles for housewives" competition, Diane first thought about becoming an actress. Another idol for Keaton was the Hollywood star Katherine Hepburn, known for playing strong and independent women.

During her school years, Keaton actively participated in school concerts, performed vocal numbers, and attended a drama club. After finishing school, she enrolled in the acting department of Orange Coast College in California but dropped out after a year to pursue a career in Manhattan. Around the same time, Diane changed her surname to Keaton, her mother's maiden name, as there was already an actress named Diane Hall in Hollywood.

Acting Career

Keaton's talent was not recognized immediately. She worked for a long time as a singer in nightclubs until she landed a role in the Broadway musical "Hair" (1968). The young actress attracted public attention not only with her excellent acting and vocal abilities but also because she refused to strip naked in the final scene.

Diane Keaton, Barry McGuire, and Steve Curry (Hair)

Working on Broadway led Diane to meet Woody Allen. She starred in his production of "Play It Again, Sam!", which earned her a Tony Award nomination. In 1972, a film of the same name was made based on the play, featuring the duo of Keaton and Allen.

Her partnership with Allen proved extremely fruitful. She appeared in several of his films, including "Sleeper" (1973), "Manhattan" (1979), and "Annie Hall" (1977) – a love story in which audiences saw a hint of Woody and Diane's real-life relationship. For her leading role in the latter film, the actress won an Oscar, as did Allen – for Best Director and Original Screenplay.

Diane Keaton in the movie Play It Again, Sam!

Thanks to Woody Allen, Diane Keaton became a sought-after actress for many famous directors. She had significant success with her roles in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" series (1972, 1974, and 1990), in which she played Kay Adams, the friend and future wife of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino).

Diane Keaton in The Godfather Part II

In 1981, Keaton teamed up with Warren Beatty, with whom she had an off-screen relationship, in the movie "Reds". The plot of this historical drama, which was nominated for an Oscar, revolves around an American couple who emigrated to Russia after the October Revolution of 1917. Brilliant acting earned Keaton an Oscar nomination, but the award went to her childhood idol, 75-year-old Katherine Hepburn, for her role in "On Golden Pond".

After a series of less successful films in the early 1980s, Keaton regained success thanks to the comedy "Baby Boom" (1987), in which she portrayed a working single mother. Around the same time, Keaton ventured into directing: she created several music videos for pop singer Belinda Carlisle, as well as several TV projects, such as a directorial episode of the cult "Twin Peaks" by David Lynch. Her first feature film as a director was the tragicomedy "Unstrung Heroes" (1995), starring Andie MacDowell and John Turturro.

Diane Keaton and Al Pacino on the set of 'The Godfather'

Comedy became Keaton's formula for success. In 1991, she starred with Steve Martin in the successful movie "Father of the Bride", which was followed by a sequel a few years later. In 1993, Diane worked again with Woody Allen, shooting his comedy "Manhattan Murder Mystery".

Diane Keaton in Twin Peaks

Three years later, the actress starred with Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler in the amusing film "The First Wives Club" about friends who plan to get back at the men who abandoned them. The film was a huge success, earning more than $181 million worldwide.

A scene from the movie The First Wives Club

However, Keaton was not just a comedy actress, as evidenced by her mature and deep performance in the family drama "Marvin's Room", about two estranged sisters. This role earned Keaton her third Oscar nomination.

In the early 2000s, Keaton delighted fans with her role in the comedy "Town & Country" (2001), in which she reunited with Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn and joined the young Josh Hartnett. The romantic comedy "Something's Gotta Give" (2003) with Jack Nicholson and Keanu Reeves did not go unnoticed either. This box-office hit earned Keaton her fourth Oscar nomination, but the award went to Charlize Theron for her stunning transformation in the drama "Monster".

Something's Gotta Give Interview

Among other successful feature films of the 2000s, Diane starred in "The Family Stone" (2005), in which she played the cheerful housewife Sybil Stone, and the comedy "Mad Money" (2008), where the actress appeared as the organizer of a bank robbery operation.

These projects were followed by other comedies – "The Big Wedding" (2013) and "And So It Goes" (2014). Alongside Morgan Freeman, Keaton played an elderly couple in love who were planning to sell their old house in the charming comedy "5 Flights Up" (2014), and soon after, the actress appeared in the Christmas comedy "Love the Coopers" (2015).

Diane Keaton, Ana Ayora, and Topher Grace in the movie The Big Wedding

Diane Keaton rarely appears in TV series. However, in 2016, to everyone's surprise, the actress appeared in the HBO series "The Young Pope", playing a nun and the personal secretary to the Pope (Jude Law).

Diane Keaton in The Young Pope

Keaton also starred in the comedy "Hampstead" (2017) with Brendan Gleeson, and in June 2018, she could be seen in the film "Book Club" about refined intellectuals who come across the erotic bestseller "Fifty Shades of Grey".

Diane Keaton's Personal Life

At the start of her acting career, Diane Keaton had multiple relationships with high-profile figures in the film industry. One of her initial admirers was Woody Allen, who was struck by Diane's brilliant sense of humor. Keaton and Allen lived together for a while, but by the time their first movie was released in 1972, their relationship had become purely professional. Allen remains one of the actress's closest friends today.

Diane carefully hid her relationship with Warren Beatty, earning her the title of "most secretive star since Greta Garbo" in 1985. Their relationship ended shortly after the completion of the movie "Reds". It is believed that the problems in their relationship were due to not only the challenging filming process but also numerous financial disputes.

Keaton also dated her "Godfather" trilogy co-star Al Pacino. The couple went through difficult breakups and reunions until they finally separated after the release of "The Godfather Part III" (1990). "Al is one of the most interesting people... and he has the most beautiful face. Yes, Warren is magnificent, he is very handsome, but Pacino's face – it's something else. It's just incredible," Keaton shared.

In the mid-2000s, rumors circulated that Diane dated Keanu Reeves, her co-star from "Something's Gotta Give", who is 18 years her junior.

Diane Keaton is currently not married. The actress isn't bothered by this: "I don't think my life is worse because I don't have a husband."

Keaton has two adopted children: a daughter, Dexter (adopted in 1996), and a son, Duke (in 2001). Diane decided to become a mother almost at 50, driven by her father's death, which she found very hard to deal with. "Motherhood completely changed me. It's the most amazing experience of my life," the actress shared.

Diane Keaton participates in campaigns to save and restore historic buildings in Los Angeles. Aside from this, Diane enjoys photography, works in luxury real estate (one of her clients was Madonna), and is a spokesperson for the cosmetic brand L'Oréal.

In November 2011, Keaton released a memoir titled "Then Again".

Diane Keaton Now

In May 2019, the inspiring comedy "Poms" starring 73-year-old Diane Keaton in the lead role premiered. The actress plays a retiree who decides to return to sports and assemble a cheerleading team from the inhabitants of a retirement home.

Diane also played one of the central roles in the romantic comedy "Love, Weddings & Other Disasters", which was released in 2021.

Diane Keaton: latest news and articles

16 celebrities who have aged gracefully (photo)

22 Dec 2020

Kerrie Steele Journalist

Jennifer Flores

What a woman Keaton that she adopted two children! A reason for pride and an example of courage

2021-04-07 11:42:07
Michael Huff

She`s just a miracle and a diamond in Hollywood! A woman with incredible talent, charm and beauty

2021-03-31 21:04:00
Marlene Rodriguez

There are many fond memories associated with Diane Keaton, more precisely, with her roles in the cinema. I love the First Wives Club dearly and review it every year.

2021-03-13 13:31:17
Robin Carter

Annie Hall has long been my favorite movie. There are two of my favorites here - Keaton and Allen.

2021-02-27 11:09:06
Richard Hayes

Diane Keaton is a legend of cinema. One of the few very talented actresses of our time!

2021-02-25 09:25:23