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The Academy Award-nominated actress Diane Ladd passed away at the age of 89.

The star, with roles featured Chinatown, left this world in her residence at her Ojai, California home. The news was revealed through a message shared by her offspring, Academy Award-winning star Laura Dern, her daughter.

Her daughter, who appeared with her mom in a number of films such as Wild at Heart, referred to her as “my wonderful hero plus my precious gift being my mom”, stating that she was at her bedside during her final moments.

“She was an exceptional grandmother, mother, daughter, performer, creative along with empathetic spirit that seemed almost dreamlike,” she stated. “We were lucky to have her. She is now with the angels.”

Early Career and Major Success

Ladd’s early career featured supporting roles on television series including Perry Mason while the 1970s saw her starring with actor Jack Nicholson in the classic Chinatown.

In the same year, the year 1974, she appeared with actress Ellen Burstyn in Scorsese’s celebrated film the movie Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. The performance landed Ladd an Academy Award nomination in the supporting actress category.

1980s and Beyond

During the eighties, she starred in the dramatic film the movie Black Widow and comedy sequel National Lampoon’s holiday comedy while also joining the sitcom Alice, a sitcom derived from Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

In the subsequent decade, she was given a further best supporting actress Academy Award nomination for her part in the David Lynch film Wild at Heart in which she portrayed the parent of her real-life daughter Laura Dern’s role. The next year she obtained another nomination for her role in Rambling Rose, another movie which also starred her daughter.

“This movie that Princess Diana chose as her absolutely favorite, and she flew Laura and I to England for a premiere and a celebration in our honor,” Ladd said regarding Rambling Rose. “She positioned herself between us, holding both our hands, with tears, seeing us act.”

The nineties featured performances in humorous films Cemetery Club, a film joining her again with her co-star Burstyn, Primary Colors, a comedy about politics, with John Travolta and Payne’s the movie Citizen Ruth in which she portrayed Dern’s mother once more. Those years also brought her nominations for Emmy Awards for performances in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, Grace Under Fire plus Touched by an Angel.

Working with Laura Dern

She continued to star with Laura Dern in films blending humor and drama Daddy and Them, a movie, David Lynch’s the movie Inland Empire and the series by Mike White satirical show Enlightened. She also appeared alongside Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, a movie, Sir Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian and with Jennifer Lawrence in Joy.

Her more recent television parts consisted of Ray Donovan plus Young Sheldon.

Behind the Camera

Ladd also wrote and directed the comedy the movie Mrs Munck featuring her and ex-husband Bruce Dern. “Bruce is a great actor,” she noted. “I was honored to direct him in a movie. In fact, I stand as the only woman in recorded history who directed her former husband. I humorously say: ‘I say ladies, should you desire retribution, guide your former spouse.’ Though I’m just teasing.”

Personal Connections

She was additionally a family member of Tennessee Williams, who she referred to as “a major inspiration on my life”.

Back in 2018, Ladd was misdiagnosed with lung disease and told her life expectancy was six months but she regained full health when her daughter moved her to another medical facility.

“If you can take your pain and not let it back up like a sore or something, instead apply it to explore, to make the path clearer for personal and collective growth, then you are winning,” Ladd remarked.