Oscar-Nominated Actress Diane Ladd, Known for “Wild at Heart” and “Chinatown,” Dies at 89

Award-winning actress Diane Ladd has passed away at the age of 89. Ladd’s daughter, actress Laura Dern, made the announcement on Monday. The death came as Ladd and her family had just mourned the passing of Ladd’s husband, former PepsiCo CEO Robert Charles Hunter, three short months ago. Here is a look back at the prolific actress’s life and career.

Diane Ladd’s Early Life

Ladd (born Rose Diane Ladner) was the daughter of actress Mary Bernadette (Anderson) Ladner and veterinarian Preston Paul Ladner, and a distant cousin of playwright Tennessee Williams. Ladd grew up in Mississippi and was offered a scholarship to study law at LSU, but she turned it down to pursue acting. She attended finishing school in New Orleans, where she also sang with a jazz band on weekends, before moving to New York City.

Diane Ladd’s Acting Career

Ladd’s first major acting credit came in 1957 in an episode of the television crime drama “Decoy.” Her television credits included appearances in “Perry Mason,” “Gunsmoke,” the “Black Beauty” miniseries, and “The Fugitive,” among others, before she took on a Golden Globe-winning role in the sitcom “Alice” in 1980. Other notable appearances included “The Love Boat,” “L.A. Law,” “Grace Under Fire,” “ER,” “Ray Donovan,” “Young Sheldon,” and 43 episodes of “Chesapeake Shores.”

While she made dozens of appearances on television, Ladd was more well-known for her roles on the silver screen. The actress had roles in movies like “Chinatown,” “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “Father Hood,” “Ghosts of Mississippi,” and “Primary Colors.” Ladd garnered Oscar nominations for her roles in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” “Wild at Heart,” and “Rambling Rose.”

In total, Ladd appeared in more than 200 television shows and movies. Ladd and Dern shared the screen together on several occasions. Dern appeared with her mother in the movies “Wild at Heart,” “Rambling Rose,” “Citizen Ruth,” and “Inland Empire.”  They most recently co-starred in the HBO series “Enlightened” from 2011 to 2013.

Diane Ladd’s Passing

Ladd died from Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in her Ojai, California, home with Dern at her side. Dern released the following statement on her mother’s passing:

“My amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother, Diane Ladd, passed with me beside her this morning, at her home in Ojai, Ca. She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created. We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now.”  –Laura Dern (via People)

Ladd was a fantastic comedic and dramatic actress. She has left a legacy of works that will be enjoyed for decades to come. It has truly been a pleasure to laugh and cry with her through the years.