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The Academy Award-nominated actor Diane Ladd has died at the age of 89.

The actress, whose credits included Chinatown, died at her home at her Ojai, California home. This announcement was revealed through a message shared by her offspring, award-winning actress her daughter Laura Dern.

Dern, who performed alongside Diane Ladd in a number of films like Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose, called her “my amazing hero as well as my precious gift being my mom”, stating that she was at her bedside as she died.

“She was an exceptional grandmother, mother, daughter, star, artist along with caring individual that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she expressed. “We were lucky to have her. Her spirit soars with angels.”

Beginnings and Rise to Fame

The start of her career featured supporting roles in TV shows such as Gunsmoke whereas the 1970s saw her starring alongside actor Jack Nicholson in the film Chinatown.

In the same year, 1974, she shared the screen alongside Ellen Burstyn in the Martin Scorsese praised comedy drama Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, a classic. The performance landed Ladd her initial Oscar nod in the supporting actress category.

1980s and Beyond

During the eighties, she appeared in the thriller the movie Black Widow and humorous film Christmas Vacation and also took part in the show Alice, a television series based on Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

During the next ten years, she was given an additional best supporting actress Academy Award nomination for her part in David Lynch’s Wild at Heart, a cult classic where she played the mom of her actual daughter Laura Dern’s role. A year later she was awarded another nomination for her acting in the film Rambling Rose which included Dern.

“This was the film that Princess Diana chose as her absolutely favorite, and she flew me and Laura to England for a royal premiere and a party dedicated to us,” Ladd said about the film Rambling Rose. “She sat with us, holding both our hands, with tears, watching us perform.”

The nineties included parts in humorous films The Cemetery Club bringing her back with Ellen Burstyn, the movie Primary Colors, a political comedy, with John Travolta and Alexander Payne’s Citizen Ruth where she played Dern’s mother another time. Those years also saw her score Emmy nominations for performances in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, Grace Under Fire plus Touched by an Angel.

Collaborations with Daughter

She continued to star with her daughter in films blending humor and drama Daddy and Them, a movie, David Lynch’s Inland Empire and White’s comedy-drama series Enlightened. She additionally starred next to Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, a movie, Anthony Hopkins, a legend in The World’s Fastest Indian plus Jennifer Lawrence in Joy, a biographical drama.

Subsequent TV appearances featured Ray Donovan and Young Sheldon, a comedy.

Filmmaking Ventures

Ladd also wrote and oversaw the comedy film the movie Mrs Munck featuring her and former husband actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is a talented star,” she mentioned. “It was a privilege to guide him in a movie. Actually, I am the sole female ever who directed her former husband. I often joke: ‘I tell women, if you seek payback, helm a movie with your ex.’ However, I’m joking.”

Personal Connections

She happened to be a family member of playwright Tennessee Williams, who she called “a great influence in my life”.

During 2018, she received an incorrect diagnosis with a respiratory illness and advised she had just six months to live but she regained full health once her daughter shifted her to a different hospital.

“When you use your pain and prevent it from festering similar to a wound, instead use it to explore, to make the path clearer for you and those around, then you are winning,” Ladd expressed.