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The award-nominated actor the celebrated Diane Ladd passed away at the age of 89.

This actress, whose credits included Chinatown, passed away at home in Ojai, California. Her passing was revealed through a message from her daughter, Academy Award-winning star Laura Dern, her daughter.

Dern, who performed alongside her mom in various films such as Rambling Rose, described her as “my incredible hero plus my precious gift as a mother”, noting that she was at her bedside as she died.

“She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, performer, creative as well as empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she wrote. “We were blessed to have her. Her spirit soars with angels.”

Initial Roles and Rise to Fame

The start of her career included small roles in TV shows like Gunsmoke whereas the seventies had her appearing with Jack Nicholson in the film Chinatown.

In the same year, 1974, she shared the screen alongside Ellen Burstyn in the Martin Scorsese celebrated film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. The performance earned Ladd her initial Oscar nod in the supporting actress category.

Subsequent Years

In the 1980s, she appeared in the dramatic film the movie Black Widow and comedy sequel National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation while also joining the show Alice, a comedy program derived from her earlier movie.

In the following decade, she earned another Oscar nomination for supporting actress nomination for her part in Lynch’s the movie Wild at Heart in which she portrayed the parent of her biological child Dern’s character. A year later she received another nomination for her performance in Rambling Rose that also featured Laura Dern.

“This was the picture that the late Princess Diana picked as her top choice, and she brought Laura and I to London for a royal premiere and an event in our honor,” Ladd said of Rambling Rose. “She sat with us, holding both our hands, and crying, viewing our performance.”

That decade also saw roles in humorous films The Cemetery Club reuniting her with Ellen Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political story, a political comedy, featuring John Travolta and Payne’s Citizen Ruth, a dark comedy in which she portrayed Laura Dern’s mom again. Those years also earned her Emmy nominations for roles in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, the show Grace Under Fire plus Touched by an Angel.

Working with Laura Dern

She persisted in performing with her daughter in films blending humor and drama Daddy and Them, David Lynch’s the movie Inland Empire and White’s dark comedy series Enlightened. She was also seen next to Sandra Bullock, a star in 28 Days, a movie, Sir Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian plus Jennifer Lawrence in the film Joy.

Subsequent TV appearances featured the series Ray Donovan and Young Sheldon.

Filmmaking Ventures

She also authored and directed the comedy Mrs Munck, a film which starred her and ex-husband actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is a great actor,” she said. “It was a privilege to guide him in a film. In fact, I am the sole female in recorded history to helm a film with her ex. I make a joke: ‘I say ladies, if you want revenge, direct your ex-husband.’ But I’m only kidding.”

Personal Life

She happened to be the third cousin of playwright Tennessee Williams, who she called “a significant impact on my life”.

During 2018, Ladd was misdiagnosed with a pulmonary condition and told her life expectancy was six months yet she recovered completely after her daughter shifted her to a new hospital.

“Should you harness your suffering and prevent it from festering like a sore or something, instead apply it to discover, to illuminate the way for you and those around, then you are succeeding,” Ladd remarked.