While fans were stunned by the sudden passing of Diane Keaton, the beloved actress had reportedly been secretly battling dementia for years, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Oscar winner died on October 11, and her family revealed four days later that her tragic passing was caused by pneumonia.
‘It Was So Sad’
Keaton’s last film role was in 2024’s ‘Summer Camp’
“She was battling it for years,” a source close to the actress claimed to NewsNation.
It affected the star’s ability to remember her lines, as the Hollywood icon allegedly needed to have her words fed to her through an earpiece in 2022 while filming the rom-com Maybe I Do.
“It was so sad,” an on-set source claimed. “(Co-star) William H. Macy was very supportive, but it was also frustrating because if there was any stopping — a bathroom break, a meal, anything — it was back to square one. It was heartbreaking to watch. She was just so lovely.”
Her Mother Battled Alzheimer’s Disease
Keaton’s mom lost a 15-year battle with Alzheimers.
Sadly, dementia ran in Keaton’s family as her mother, Dorothy Deanne, suffered from Alzheimer’s. The disease can be hereditary if a parent has the progressive brain disorder.
Keaton wrote about the heartbreak of her mom’s declining state in her 2011 memoir, Then Again. Deanne died in 2008 after a 15-year battle with Alzheimer’s.
“Goodbye to names of places; goodbye to… recognizing me as her daughter,” the Annie Hall star recalled.
Keaton detailed how Deanne kept journals that showed her suffering, going from being able to write whole paragraphs to struggling to put together a sentence. Eventually, she was only able to write out numbers before losing the ability to recall anything to put down on paper.
“This is the day I heard I have the beginning of Alzheimer’s disease. Scary,” a 1993 entry read.
Her Cherished Pooch
Keaton was regularly seen taking her dog for walks around her neighborhood,
Keaton had been a regular social media user but had dramatically scaled back her fun and joy-filled posts in recent years.
The First Wives Club star last posted to Instagram in April in honor of National Pet Day. It showed the actress alongside her beloved golden retriever, Reggie.
Keaton adopted the pup in 2020 and reportedly left him an eye-watering sum in her will to ensure his care after her death.
“Reggie was her world,” a close friend told Hollywood insider Rob Shuter, who wrote about it on his Substack. “Diane used to joke her great loves were her children, Al Pacino, architecture — and that dog.”
Shuter reported that $5 million of Keaton’s massive $100 million estate was set aside in a trust for a private home and caretakers for Reggie, along with ongoing donations to animal charities.
“She wanted Reggie to live with the same dignity and humor she did,” another insider revealed.
Death Mystery Solved
Keaton’s family asked that fans donate to causes close to the actress’ heart.
Keaton’s shocking death was surrounded by mystery until her family released a statement on Wednesday, October 15, about why the Father of the Bride passed. She left behind two adopted children, daughter Dexter, 29, and son Duke, 25.
“The Keaton family is very grateful for the extraordinary messages of love and support they have received these past few days on behalf of their beloved Diane, who passed away from pneumonia,” it read.
They asked that fans continue to support causes close to The Godfather star’s heart.
“She loved her animals and she was steadfast in her support of the unhoused community, so any donations in her memory to a local food bank or an animal shelter would be a wonderful and much appreciated tribute to her,” the family requested.
