Veteran Oscar-nominated actress Diane Ladd, who starred in such classic films as “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” and “Chinatown,” has died at the age of 89, her daughter, actress Laura Dern, confirmed this week.
Ojai, California — Diane Ladd, a three-time Oscar nominee whose roles ranged from the brash waitress in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” to the protective mother in “Wild at Heart,” has died at the age of 89.
Actress Laura Dern announced Ladd’s death on Monday, issuing a statement saying her mother and sometime co-star died at her home in Ojai, California, with Dern by her side. Dern, who called Ladd an “incredible hero” and “a mother’s profound gift,” did not immediately provide a cause of death.
“She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and compassionate soul that only dreams can create,” Dern wrote. “We are blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now.”
A talented comedian and dramatic actor, Ladd had a long career in television and on stage before breaking out as a film actor in Martin Scorsese’s 1974 release Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the acerbic and outspoken Flo, and went on to appear in dozens of films over the following decades.
Her many credits include “Chinatown” and “Primary Colors” and two other films for which she received best supporting nominations, “Wild at Heart” and “Rambling Rose.”
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