"I've done all kinds of things I said I wouldn't do, and of course, now I'm glad. Thrilled." - Diane Keaton
On January 5th, let's celebrate the birthday of the ever-talented, charming Diane Keaton.
Actor, producer, screenwriter and author Diane Keaton is undeniably one of the greatest actors to have graced the silver screen. Shining alongside such luminaries as Katharine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, Cicely Tyson and Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton has meticulously crafted her art into a Hollywood legacy.
Diane Hall was born on January 5th in Los Angeles, the oldest of three daughters and one son to Dorothy and Jack Hall. Diane's passion to perform bloomed at an early age. "I didn't want to be a wife, I wanted to be a hot date," she once said. "I was looking for an audience, any audience." Diane would move to New York City, where she studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse and landed her first break in the Broadway musical Hair. While in New York, she met Woody Allen. Together, the duo collaborated on several films, resulting in an Academy Award for Keaton as lovable "La-Di-Da" Annie Hall (1977).
Throughout her esteemed career, Keaton's eclectic roles have captivated audiences. In The Godfather trilogy, Keaton starred as Kay, the despondent wife of Mafioso crime boss Michael Corleone (Al Pacino). In Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), Keaton played Theresa Dunn, a repressed schoolteacher trolling seedy bars in a sordid attempt to bring excitement into her mundane life. In Nancy Meyer's Something's Gotta Give (2003), she owned her role as Erica Barry, a successful, divorced playwright who finds unlikely romance with elusive bachelor Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson). Keaton transforms her roles into magnetic performances which resonate with stings of raw emotion and tailored perfectionism. (Sorry, Diane, can't list them all, I have a word quota!)
While notably recognized as an actor, Keaton is also an accomplished writer. Then, Again (2011) was named one of the ten best books of the year by Janet Maslin of The New York Times. It is Keaton's book of family - her mother, father, siblings and two children, whom she adopted. Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty (2014) details Keaton's account of life in an industry fixated on youth and beauty. She shares stories of relationships with men such as Al Pacino, Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson. Keaton's confidence and individuality shine in this insightful book.
As Diane says, "Your family is those people who love you and let you be yourself." Let's toast - open a bottle of The Keaton - to timeless Diane!
La-Di-Da, Ms. Keaton, and Happy Birthday to you!