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Diane Ladd

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Diane Ladd
Ladd in 1975
Born
Rose Diane Ladner

(1935-11-29)November 29, 1935
Laurel, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedNovember 3, 2025(2025-11-03) (aged 89)
Ojai, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1953–2022
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1960; div. 1969)​
William Shea Jr.
​
​
(m. 1969; div. 1977)​
Robert Hunter
​
​
(m. 1999; died 2025)​
Children2, including Laura Dern
Websitewww.dianeladd.com
Signature

Rose Diane Ladd (née Ladner; November 29, 1935 – November 3, 2025) was an American actress. With a career spanning over 70 years, she appeared in over 200 films and television shows, receiving three Academy Award nominations for her roles in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), Wild at Heart (1990) and Rambling Rose (1991), the first of which won her a BAFTA Award. She was also nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards, winning one for her role in the sitcom Alice (1980–1981).

Ladd's other film appearances included Chinatown (1974), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), Primary Colors (1998), 28 Days (2000) and Joy (2015). She was the mother of actress Laura Dern, with her ex-husband, actor Bruce Dern.

Early life

[edit]
Ladd in Embryo (1976)

Ladd was born Rose Diane Ladner, the only child of Mary Bernadette Ladner (née Anderson), a housewife and actress, and Preston Paul Ladner, a veterinarian who sold products for poultry and livestock.[1][2][3][4] She was born in Laurel, Mississippi, on November 29, 1935, while the family was visiting relatives for Thanksgiving, though they lived in Meridian, Mississippi.[1][5] Ladd was related to playwright Tennessee Williams[6] and poet Sidney Lanier.[7] Ladd was raised in her mother's Roman Catholic faith.[8][9]

Career

[edit]

In 1953, while living in New Orleans, Ladd was cast in a production of the Jack Kirkland play Tobacco Road, and later moved to New York City, where she acted on stage and screen.[10]

In 1971, Ladd joined the cast of the CBS soap opera The Secret Storm. She was the second actress to play the role of Kitty Styles on the long-running daytime serial. She later had a supporting role in Roman Polanski's 1974 film Chinatown, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role as Flo in the film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. That film inspired the television series Alice, in which Flo was portrayed by Polly Holliday. When Holliday left the TV series, Ladd succeeded her as waitress Isabelle "Belle" Dupree.

Ladd in 2013 at the Hollywood Walk of Fame to honor actress Olympia Dukakis

Her subsequent film appearances included Black Widow (1987), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), Primary Colors (1998), 28 Days (2000) and Joy (2015). She appeared in the independent screwball comedy Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me in 1992, where she played a flirty, aging Southern belle alongside her real mother, actress Mary Lanier.[11]

Ladd as Lucille in Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me[11]

In 2004, Ladd played psychic Mrs. Druse in the television miniseries of Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital. In April 2006, Ladd released her first book, Spiraling Through The School of Life: A Mental, Physical, and Spiritual Discovery. In 2007, she co-starred in the Lifetime Television film Montana Sky.

In addition to her Academy Award nomination for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, she was also nominated (again in the Best Actress in a Supporting Role category) for both Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose, in both of which she starred alongside her daughter Laura Dern. Dern received a nomination for Best Actress for Rambling Rose. The dual mother and daughter nominations for Ladd and Dern in Rambling Rose marked the first time in Academy Awards history that such an event had occurred. They were also nominated for dual Golden Globe Awards in the same year.

Ladd also worked in theatre. She made her Broadway debut in Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights in 1968. In 1976, she starred in A Texas Trilogy: Lu Ann Hampton Laverty Oberlander, for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination.[12]

On November 1, 2010, Ladd, Laura Dern and Bruce Dern received adjoining stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; this was the first time three members of the same family had been awarded stars on the Walk on the same occasion.[13]

She starred in the Hallmark Channel series Chesapeake Shores.[14]

Ladd's final two film roles were in Gigi & Nate and Isle of Hope, both from 2022.[15]

Personal life and death

[edit]

Ladd was married to actor and one-time co-star Bruce Dern from 1960 to 1969. They had two daughters, Diane Elizabeth, who died at age eighteen months after a drowning accident, and Laura Elizabeth, who became a successful actress.[16][17] Ladd and Laura Dern co-starred in the films Wild at Heart, Rambling Rose, Citizen Ruth and Inland Empire, and in the HBO series Enlightened.[10] The two also appeared together in White Lightning and Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, although Laura was uncredited in both.

Ladd was married to William A. Shea Jr. from 1969 to 1977. She married again in 1999, to her third husband, Robert Charles Hunter.[16] Hunter was at one point the CEO of PepsiCo Food Systems.[18] He preceded her in death by three months, in late August 2025.[18][19]

Ladd was supportive of Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential campaign.[20]

In 2018, Ladd was misdiagnosed with pneumonia and given six months to a year to live after she inhaled "poison spray" from the farms neighboring her home, constricting her esophagus.[21] Her daughter, Laura, transferred her to another hospital where she made a full recovery.[22]

Ladd died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis at her home in Ojai, California on November 3, 2025 at the age of 89.[18][23][24][25][26]

Filmography

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Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1961 Something Wild Bit Part Uncredited
1962 40 Pounds of Trouble Young Bride on Honeymoon Uncredited
1966 The Wild Angels Gaysh With Bruce Dern
1969 The Reivers Phoebe
1970 The Rebel Rousers Karen Shot in 1967
Macho Callahan Girl
WUSA Barmaid at Railroad Station Uncredited
1971 The Steagle Mrs. Forbes
1973 White Lightning Maggie Credited as Diane Lad
1974 Chinatown Ida Sessions
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry
1976 Embryo Martha Douglas
1981 All Night Long Helen Dupler
1983 Something Wicked This Way Comes Mrs. Nightshade
Sweetwater Lucy
1987 Black Widow Etta
Plain Clothes Jane Melway
1989 National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Nora Griswold
1990 Wild at Heart Marietta Fortune
1991 A Kiss Before Dying Mrs. Corliss
Rambling Rose Mother
1992 Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me Lucille
Forever Mabel Normand
Spies Inc. Alice
1993 The Cemetery Club Lucille Rubin
Carnosaur Dr. Jane Tiptree
Father Hood Rita
1995 Mother Olivia Hendrix Also co-producer
Mrs. Munck Mrs. Munck Also writer and director
Raging Angels Sister Kate
1996 Citizen Ruth Ruth's Mother Uncredited
Ghosts of Mississippi Grandma Caroline Moore
1997 Get a Clue Berthe Erica Crow
James Dean: Race with Destiny Mama Pierangeli
1998 Primary Colors Mamma Stanton
Route 66
1999 Can't Be Heaven Nona Gina
2000 28 Days Bobbie Jean
The Law of Enclosures Bea
2001 Daddy and Them Jewel
Rain Audrey Turnquick
2002 Redemption of the Ghost Aunt Helen
More than Puppy Love Aunt Edna
The Virgin
2003 Charlie's War Jobie
2005 The World's Fastest Indian Ada
2006 Come Early Morning Nana
When I Find the Ocean Edna
Inland Empire Marilyn Levens
2008 Jake's Corner Fran
American Cowslip Roe
2013 Grave Secrets Emily Barnes
2014 Just Before I Go Mamma Uncredited
2015 I Dream Too Much Vera
Joy Mimi
2016 Sophie and the Rising Sun Ruth Jeffers
Amerigeddon Betty
Boonville Redemption Grandma Mary
2019 The Last Full Measure Alice Pitsenbarger [10]
2020 Charlie's Christmas Wish Nana
2021 Charming the Hearts of Men[27] Alice Paul Uncredited
2022 Gigi & Nate Mama Blanche [15]
Isle of Hope Carmen Crawford [15]

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1957 Decoy Selma Richmond Episode: "Two Days to Kill"
1958 The Big Story Vera Episode: "The Small of Death"
The Walter Winchell File Lois Episode: "A Thing of Beauty: File #29"
1958–1959 Naked City Kathie Mills / Yankee Cretias 2 episodes
1959 Deadline Judy Episode: "Victor Reisel"
1961 The Detectives Gloria Tyler Episode: "Act of God"
1963 Wide Country Alma Prewitt Episode: "Step Over the Sky"
Armstrong Circle Theatre Charlotte Cable Episode: "The Counterfeit League"
77 Sunset Strip Helen Saunders Episode: "The Left Field Caper"
Perry Mason Miss Frances Episode: "The Case of the Shifty Shoebox"
Mr. Novak Mrs. Otis Episode: "I Don't Even Live Here"
Hazel Sharlene Episode: "George's 32nd Cousin"
1964 The Fugitive Stella Episode: "Come Watch Me Die"
The Great Adventure Annie Thompson Episode: "Rodger Young"
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Cissy Episode: "The Game with Glass Pieces"
1964–1967 Gunsmoke Bonnie Mae Haley / Lulu / Elena Kerlin 3 episodes
1966 Daniel Boone Ronda Cameron Episode: "Seminole Territory"
Shane Amy Sloate Episode: "The Distant Bell"
1967 The Big Valley Muriel Akely Episode: "Boy into Man"
1968 Ironside Peggy Barnard Episode: "Robert Phillips vs. the Man"
1969 Then Came Bronson Valerie Faber Episode: "Old Tigers Never Die--They Just Run Away"
1971–1972 The Secret Storm Kitty Styles #2 Unknown episodes
1973 The Devil's Daughter Alice Shaw TV movie
1975 Movin' On Amy Episode: "General Delivery"
1976 City of Angels Laura Episode: "The November Plan: Part 1"
Addie and the King of Hearts Irene Davis TV movie
1977 The November Plan Laura Taylor
1978 Black Beauty Amelia Gordon Miniseries
Thaddeus Rose and Eddie Carlotta TV movie
1979 Willa Mae
1980 Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones Lynette Jones
1980–1981 Alice Belle Dupree 22 episodes
1980–1985 The Love Boat Christa Johanson / Bernice Bronson / Ruby Gibson 3 episodes
1982 Desperate Lives Carol Cameron TV movie
1983 Grace Kelly Margaret Kelly
Faerie Tale Theatre Mother Episode: "Little Red Riding Hood"
1984 I Married a Centerfold Jeanette Bryan TV movie
1985 Crime of Innocence Rose Hayward
1987 Celebration Family Mrs. Heflin
1988 Bluegrass Verna Howland
1989 Father Dowling Mysteries Arlene Episode: "The Face in the Mirror Mystery"
Heartland Marjorie Episode: "B.L. Moves Out"
1990 Rock Hudson Kay TV movie
In the Heat of the Night Maybelle Cheseboro Episode: "Home Is Where the Heart Is"
The Lookalike Mary Helen Needam TV movie
1991 Shadow of a Doubt Emma
1992 Middle Ages Bebe Cooper Episode: "Forever Young"
1993 L.A. Law Celeste Bauman Episode: "Cold Shower"
Harts of the West Alison's Mom Episode: "Guess Who's Coming to Chow?"
Sisters Belle Adderly Episode: "The Best Intentions"
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Charlotte Cooper 2 episodes
1994–1997 Grace Under Fire Louise Burdette
1994 Hush Little Baby Edie TV movie
The Gift Evie TV short
1996 The Siege at Ruby Ridge Irma Coulter TV movie
Cold Lazarus Martina Masdon Miniseries; 3 episodes
1997 Breach of Faith: A Family of Cops 2 Aunt Shelly Fein TV movie
Touched by an Angel Carolyn Sellers Episode: "An Angel by Any Other Name"
Get a Clue Berthe Erica Crow TV movie
1998 The Staircase Sister Margaret
2000 Best Actress Herself
Sharing the Secret Nina's Mother
Strong Medicine Annabelle Lee Stowe 2 episodes
Christy: Return to Cutter Gap Alice Henderson TV movie
2001 Christy, Choices of the Heart Alice Henderson 2 episodes
2002 Living with the Dead Regina Van Praagh TV movie
Damaged Care Mary "Rhodie" Rhodes
2003 Aftermath Mother
2004 Gracie's Choice Louela Lawson
Kingdom Hospital Sally Druse 13 episodes
2005 Cold Case Zelda Amatuzzi (2005) Episode: "Committed"
2006 ER Mrs. Pooler Episode: "No Place to Hide"
2007 Montana Sky Bess TV movie
2008 Mayerthorpe Roszko's Mother
2011–2013 Enlightened Helen Jellicoe 16 episodes
2012 Deadtime Stories Barnsey Episode: "Grave Secrets"
2016 Ray Donovan Motel Lady Episode: "Federal Boobie Inspector"
2016–2022 Chesapeake Shores Nell O'Brien 43 episodes
2018 Christmas Lost and Found Grandma Frances TV movie
2021 Young Sheldon Hortense Episode: "The Geezer Bus and a New Model for Education"

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Nominated work Results Ref.
1974 Academy Awards Best Supporting Actress Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Nominated [28]
1990 Wild at Heart Nominated [29]
1991 Rambling Rose Nominated [30]
2015 AARP Movies for Grownups Awards Best Supporting Actress Joy Won [31]
1975 British Academy Film Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Nominated [32]
1991 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actress Rambling Rose Nominated [33]
1977 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Actress in a Play A Texas Trilogy: Lu Ann Hampton Laverty Oberlander Nominated [34]
1974 Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Nominated [35]
1980 Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Alice Won[a]
1990 Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Wild at Heart Nominated
1991 Rambling Rose Nominated
1991 Independent Spirit Awards Best Supporting Female Won [36]
1974 New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actress Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Nominated
1993 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (Episode: "Pilot") Nominated [37]
1994 Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Grace Under Fire (Episode: "Things Left Undone") Nominated
1997 Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Touched by an Angel (Episode: "An Angel by Any Other Name") Nominated

Notes

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  1. ^ Tied with Valerie Bertinelli for One Day at a Time.

Books

[edit]
  • Ladd, Diane (2006). Spiraling Through the School of Life: A Mental, Physical, And Spiritual Discovery. Hay House Inc. ISBN 978-1-401-90719-8.
  • Ladd, Diane (2016). A Bad Afternoon for a Piece of Cake. Exxcell Press. ISBN 978-0-981-79206-4.
  • Dern, Laura; Ladd, Diane (2023). Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life, Death, Love (and Banana Pudding). Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 978-1-538-72037-0.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Davidson, June Davis; Putnam, Richelle (2013). Legendary Locals of Meridian. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-4671-0079-3. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "Diane Ladd". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on August 14, 2007.
  3. ^ "Obituaries for the week ending May 31, 2002: Mary Bernadette Ladner Garey". Ojai Valley News. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  4. ^ "Spiral Through Life With Diane Ladd". Life After 50. September 4, 2012. Archived from the original on May 29, 2016.
  5. ^ Ownby, Ted; Wilson, Charles Reagan; Abadie, Ann J.; Lindsey, Odie; Thomas, James G Jr (May 25, 2017). The Mississippi Encyclopedia. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-1-4968-1157-8.
  6. ^ "Diane Ladd: Southern Eccentric with Steel Beneath the Stories". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. February 19, 1993. p. 5G. Archived from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  7. ^ "Riding The Crest Of Two Widely Praised Perform". Press-Telegram. Long Beach, CA. September 20, 1991. Archived from the original on October 6, 2018.
  8. ^ "Thomas Hubbard: Profile". Tavis Smiley. PBS. July 10, 2006. Archived from the original on March 22, 2007. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  9. ^ Hoge, Warren (September 23, 1976). "Diane Ladd Savors 'Top of World'" Archived November 13, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. The New York Times. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c Gates, Anita (November 3, 2025). "Diane Ladd, Versatile Film Actress, Is Dead at 89". The New York Times. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  11. ^ a b Thomas, Kevin (July 30, 1993). "Romantic 'Hold Me, Thrill Me' a Breezy Minor Diversion". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 12, 2014. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  12. ^ Internet Broadway Database profile Archived March 5, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Ibdb.com; retrieved July 31, 2011.
  13. ^ "Dern-Ladd family honored with Walk of Fame stars". San Diego Union-Tribune. November 1, 2010.
  14. ^ "Interview - Diane Ladd - Nell O'Brien - Chesapeake Shores". Hallmark Channel. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  15. ^ a b c Sharpe, Josh (November 3, 2025). "Oscar-Nominated Actress Diane Ladd Passes Away at 89". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  16. ^ a b Day, Patrick Kevin (October 29, 2010). "Diane Ladd". Hollywood Star Walk. Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  17. ^ Jordan, Julie (April 25, 2023). "How a Life-Threatening Health Crisis Led Laura Dern and Mom Diane Ladd to 'Talk About Things We'd Left Unsaid'". People (Interview). Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  18. ^ a b c McArdle, Tommy (November 3, 2025). "Diane Ladd Died Just 3 Months After Losing Her Husband of 26 Years, Former PepsiCo CEO Robert Charles Hunter". People. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  19. ^ Franklin, McKinley; Barnes, Mike (August 1, 2025). "Robert Charles Hunter, Former PepsiCo CEO and Diane Ladd's Husband, Dies at 77". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  20. ^ "Campaign '88 Gets the Star Treatment". Los Angeles Times. June 7, 1988.
  21. ^ "Diane Ladd, 84, Reveals Why She 'Will Never Retire'". Closer Weekly. May 10, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  22. ^ Watch Access Hollywood Interview: How Laura Dern Saved Her Mother Diane Ladd's Life: 'I'm Lucky to Be Here', NBC, July 27, 2019, retrieved August 27, 2022
  23. ^ Dern, Laura (November 3, 2025). "Laura Dern Shares in a Statement the News of Her Mother Diane Ladd's Passing". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  24. ^ "Diane Ladd, Iconic Alice Actress and Mother of Laura Dern, Dead at 89". International Business Times. November 3, 2025. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  25. ^ Bergan, Ronald (November 4, 2025). "Diane Ladd obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  26. ^ Venkatraman, Sakshi (November 3, 2025). "Oscar-nominated actress Diane Ladd dies at 89". BBC News (US and Canada). Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  27. ^ Hipes, Patrick (June 21, 2021). "'Charming The Hearts Of Men', Starring Kelsey Grammer & Anna Friel, Gets U.S. Release Date In Gravitas Ventures Deal". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  28. ^ "The 47th Academy Awards (1975) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
  29. ^ "The 63rd Academy Awards (1991) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on October 20, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  30. ^ "The 64th Academy Awards (1992) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
  31. ^ Shah, Yagana (January 6, 2016). "AARP Announces The Best Movies For Grownups". HuffPost. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  32. ^ "Diane Ladd". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  33. ^ "1988-2013 Award Winner Archives". Chicago Film Critics Association. January 1, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  34. ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 1977 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  35. ^ "Diane Ladd". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  36. ^ "40 Years of Nominees and Winners" (PDF). Independent Spirit Awards. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  37. ^ "Diane Ladd". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
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