Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death at Age 79 Revealed by Oscar Winner’s Family

Diane Keaton’s cause of death has officially been confirmed.

Keaton’s family shared in a statement to People on Wednesday, October 15, that the Oscar-winner died of pneumonia on Saturday, October 11.

“The Keaton family are very grateful for the extraordinary messages of love and support they have received these past few days on behalf of their beloved Diane, who passed away from pneumonia on October 11,” the statement read.

Keaton’s family also detailed more about the actress’ incredible life, telling the outlet, “She loved her animals and she was steadfast in her support of the unhoused community, so any donations in her memory to a local food bank or an animal shelter would be a wonderful and much appreciated tribute to her.”

Us Weekly reached out for comment from Keaton’s representatives.

A spokesperson for the actress confirmed on Saturday, October 11, that she’d died at age 79, though no further details were initially revealed. Her family — which includes daughter Dexter and son Duke — simply “asked for privacy” as they grieved the actress.

A friend of Keaton’s later told People that her heath “declined very suddenly” in the final months of her life adding that the actress had chosen to withdraw from public life in order to spend time strictly with her “very closest family.” While Keaton was reportedly often seen walking her dog Reggie in her neighborhood, those sightings stopped shortly before her death.

Keaton was in the process of trying to sell her 9,200 square foot home in Los Angeles’ Sullivan Canyon neighborhood, despite documenting its ground-up remodeling in her 2017 book The House That Pinterest Built. While she initially listed the property for $28.9 million, she swiftly cut $1.4 million off the asking price in March in hopes of selling it quicker.

Keaton’s final Instagram post was made in collaboration with Hudson Grace, the home decor company which sold her collection, for National Pet Day in April and featured her beloved golden retriever, Reggie, modeling some products from her line.

“Proof our pets have great taste too,” she wrote at the time. “Happy National Pet Day from HG & Diane Keaton.”

Keaton’s incredible Hollywood career spanned nearly 60 years, and included her winning the Best Actress Oscar for her 1977 comedy, Annie Hall. (She was later nominated for the prestigious award three more times throughout her career for the 1981 political drama Reds, 1996’s family drama Marvin’s Room and the 2003 comedy Something’s Gotta Give.)

Her breakthrough film performance came from playing reluctant mob wife Kay Adams-Corleone, opposite Al Pacino, in 1972’s The Godfather. She later was a mainstay in then-boyfriend Allen’s 1970s various comedies, such as Annie Hall, Love and Death and Manhattan.

Keaton branched out as a director of music videos and TV episodes by the early 1990s, including working behind the camera on groundbreaking TV series Twin Peaks in 1991. She returned to acting with the acclaimed drama Marvin’s Room and blockbuster comedy The First Wives Club in 1996, with the latter becoming her biggest commercial hit of the decade up to that point.

The influential actress continued landing leading movie roles up until shortly before her death, having teamed up with Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard for the 2024 comedy Summer Camp.

Following her death in October 2025, Keaton’s First Wives Club costar Bette Midler remembered her for being completely unique among Hollywood stars.

“The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died,” Midler, 79, wrote via Instagram on October 11. “I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me.”

Midler went on, “She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was…oh, la, lala!”

Fellow First Wives Club star Goldie Hawn’s daughter Kate Hudson shared a throwback clip from the classic comedy via Instagram to remember the star, along with the caption: “We love you so much Diane.”