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The award-nominated performer Diane Ladd passed away aged 89.

The star, whose credits included Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, passed away at home at her Ojai, California home. Her passing was announced via an announcement by her daughter, Academy Award-winning star Laura Dern.

Dern, who performed alongside Diane Ladd in a number of films including Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose, described her as “my amazing hero plus my special gift being my mom”, stating that she was present during her final moments.

“She was the most wonderful grandmother, mother, daughter, actress, artist as well as compassionate soul that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she stated. “We were fortunate to know her. Her spirit soars with angels.”

Initial Roles and Breakthrough

Ladd’s early career included minor parts in TV shows including The Fugitive and the seventies had her appearing with the legendary Jack Nicholson in Chinatown.

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

Later Decades

Throughout the 1980s, she starred in crime thriller Black Widow, a suspense story plus comedy sequel Christmas Vacation while also joining the sitcom Alice, a comedy program derived from her earlier movie.

In the subsequent decade, she was given another supporting actress Academy Award nomination for her part in David Lynch’s Wild at Heart where she acted as the mother of her actual daughter Laura Dern’s role. The following year she received an additional nod for her performance in Rambling Rose which included Laura Dern.

“This was the film that Princess Diana selected as her very favorite, and she flew us to England for a premiere and a celebration for us,” Ladd recalled regarding Rambling Rose. “And she sat between us, grasping our hands, and crying, viewing our performance.”

The nineties featured performances in comedy Cemetery Club joining her again with Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political story, a political comedy, with John Travolta and Payne’s Citizen Ruth where she acted as Dern’s mother once more. Those years also brought her TV award nominations for roles in the series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, Grace Under Fire, a sitcom and Touched by an Angel.

Collaborations with Daughter

She kept appearing with her daughter in comedy drama Daddy and Them, a movie, Lynch’s the movie Inland Empire and the series by Mike White comedy-drama series Enlightened. She also appeared next to actress Sandra Bullock in the film 28 Days, Sir Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian and with Jennifer Lawrence in the film Joy.

Her later TV roles included the series Ray Donovan and Young Sheldon.

Behind the Camera

Ladd also wrote and directed the comedy the movie Mrs Munck which starred Diane Ladd and ex-husband Bruce Dern. “Bruce is an excellent performer,” she mentioned. “I was honored to direct him on a project. Actually, I stand as the only woman in 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 Life

She was additionally a relative of Tennessee Williams, whom she described as “a great influence in my life”.

In 2018, Ladd was misdiagnosed with a pulmonary condition and informed she had just six months to live but she regained full health when her daughter transferred her to another medical facility.

“When you use your pain and avoid letting it accumulate like an injury, instead apply it to explore, to clarify the journey for personal and collective growth, then you are triumphing,” Ladd remarked.