Diane Keaton's Family Reveals Cause of Her Passing

Diane Keaton passed away on Saturday, October 11th. Her unexpected death left her legion of admirers in shock, filling social media with messages of condolence. Her family has expressed gratitude for the outpouring of love through a statement to 'People' magazine, where they also disclosed the cause of the celebrated actress's death. "The Keaton family is deeply thankful for the extraordinary messages of love and support received in recent days on behalf of their beloved Diane, who passed away from pneumonia on October 11th," they conveyed.

Additionally, they wished to honour her by remembering the causes the Oscar-winning actress was deeply committed to: "She loved her animals and was a staunch supporter of the homeless, so any donation in her memory to a local food bank or animal shelter would be a wonderful and greatly appreciated tribute," they expressed.

According to sources close to Keaton, her health had "suddenly" deteriorated in recent months, making her death "unexpected," especially for someone with such a strong spirit. The same source detailed that "in her final months, she was surrounded only by her closest family, who chose to maintain privacy." In fact, "even her lifelong friends were not fully aware of what was happening."

The statement revealing the cause of death is signed by the actress's family, without further details, though it is understood to be endorsed by her two children, Dexter and Duke, whom she adopted in 1996 and 2001. In her 50s, the director and producer decided to become a single mother. "I never thought I would be ready to be a mother," she shared in an interview with 'Ladies' Home Journal' in 2008. "Motherhood wasn't an urge I couldn't resist; it was more of an idea that had been lingering in my mind for a long time. So I took the plunge," she recounted.

The two-time Golden Globe winner raised her children away from the media spotlight. "They're not interested in what I do, which I consider very healthy. We lead a relatively normal life, well, more or less normal," she told 'People' in 2007. A few years later, in 2012, she expressed her fear of not being able to accompany her children as she aged in an interview with AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), a U.S. non-profit organisation dedicated to helping people over 50 improve their quality of life. "I'm very aware that my father died at 68, and my mother was in her early 70s when her brain started to fail," she recalled. "When I think of my children in their 20s and 30s, and me in my 70s and 80s, I worry, without a doubt," she commented. "I want to be there for them. I want my body and mind to stay strong and share all these life lessons. But I also know they need the freedom and independence to learn for themselves," she reflected.

Finally, Diane Keaton has passed away at the age of 79, leaving her two children, Dexter, 29 (turning 30 in December), who studied veterinary technology and married in 2021; and Duke, 25, a singer who has already released his first single, devastated. They will be responsible for managing the inheritance left by their mother, known not only for her prolific and successful career in the film industry but also for her passion for architecture, which led her to acquire mansions to renovate and sell. An estimated fortune of around 100 million dollars.