Sarah Paulson brought a Hollywood audience to tears and laughter when sharing a trove of text messages she has received from her late friend Diane Keaton through the years.
During The Hollywood Reporter‘s annual Women in Entertainment gala that took place in Los Angeles on Wednesday, the All’s Fair star shared the stage with another friend and former co-star of Keaton’s, Goldie Hawn, to pay tribute to their friend who died on Oct. 11, a day that Paulson recalled saw the world lose its collective mind with grief.
Paulson met Keaton while co-starring with her in the 1999 movie The Other Sister, and the American Horror Story star shared how the Annie Hall and First Wives Club icon was a “class act” who stayed late with her on set to run lines, despite having her then-2-year-old daughter waiting for her at home.
“She did ask me, however, if it would mess me up or distract me if she were to take off her costume and get into her street clothes, which I wish I had known would include six pairs of tights, a bowler hat, suspenders, a couple of crinolines and, in her gloved right hand, a massive glass of red wine on ice,” shared Paulson while speaking at the Beverly Hills Hotel during the star-studded Hollywood event, which celebrates THR‘s annual Power 100 list.
Paulson said she and Keaton became longtime friends after that movie wrapped, and she proceeded to share the below trove of intimate, and hilariously snarky, text messages and emails sent from Keaton over the years.
- “Moron, what is your address? 6:30, Diane Keaton, actress.”
- “Sarah, I hate your phone. It is always full and I can never leave a message.”
- “You sent me an email very recently, but it’s gone. Don’t ask why. Don’t ask what I did. I’m a loser from way back.”
- “Keep me abreast on developments. Diane, one of your friends.”
- “As usual, your voicemail is full. What makes you so fucking popular?”
- “Seriously, [Paulson’s partner, Holland Taylor] was full of energy this morning when we ran into each other. She’s a force, totally charming, unique. You, on the other hand, you are a numbskull. It’s sad, you had so much potential.”
- “Sarah, I saw your movie last night. Your acting was great and you look beautiful. I tried to leave a message, but as usual, your voicemail was full. As usual, I called, as usual, your mailbox is full. As usual, I don’t want to write a message. As usual, I wanna see your face. As usual, I’m leaving town or you’re leaving town, all as usual.”
- “We are so fortunate. Do you love being an actress? I don’t.”
- “You are impossible to contact. I’m going to talk to Holland about you. First of all, you remain unreachable by phone. What the fuck are you doing? One of your very few old friends.”
- “Look, I’ve had it with your phone machine. I’ve tried calling you so many times, it’s creepy. I’ve tried both numbers I have and I can never get a chance to relay what I want to say. Every time I try to call you, I’m rejected. Do you have some secret phone number?”
Paulson then ended her remarks by sharing a touching email she wishes she could send to Keaton today.
“Dear Dum-Dum, I wanna tell you I’m sorry my voicemail was always full. I want to tell you I’m sorry I wasn’t available by the time you called. I want to tell you how much crummier the world is without you in it. I want to tell you everything that happened in my life in the 54 days since you left,” she read. “I want to tell you how the world lost its mind with grief the day you died. And I want to tell you, I will miss you forever and I continue to be a moron, and I know that you would be heartened to know that. But most of all, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being my friend, Sarah Paulson.”
The 2025 Women in Entertainment gala, presented by Lifetime, also included the presentation of the Equity in Entertainment Award to Jennifer Lopez, the Sherry Lansing Award to this week’s cover star, Gwyneth Paltrow, and a keynote speech by Molly McNearney. (See photos from the event.)
