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The Oscar-nominated actor the celebrated Diane Ladd has died at the age of 89.

The star, with roles featured National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, passed away at home in Ojai, California. This announcement was announced via an announcement shared by her child, Oscar-winning actor her daughter Laura Dern.

Laura Dern, who performed alongside Diane Ladd in a number of films such as Rambling Rose, called her “my incredible hero and my special gift of a mother”, noting that she was by her side when she passed.

“She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, star, artist as well as empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she wrote. “We were fortunate to know her. She is now with the angels.”

Beginnings and Breakthrough

The start of her career included supporting roles in TV shows like Gunsmoke and the 1970s saw her starring with the legendary Jack Nicholson in the classic Chinatown.

That very year, 1974, she performed with actress Ellen Burstyn in the Martin Scorsese celebrated comedy drama Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, a classic. Her role earned Ladd an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress.

Later Decades

During the eighties, she was seen in the dramatic film Black Widow plus funny follow-up National Lampoon’s holiday comedy while also joining the sitcom Alice, a sitcom based on the film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

In the subsequent decade, she was given a further best supporting actress nomination for her part in David Lynch’s Wild at Heart where she acted as the mother of her actual daughter Dern’s character. The following year she was awarded another nomination for her acting in Rambling Rose that also featured Dern.

“This movie that the late Princess Diana chose as her absolutely favorite, and she invited us to England for a premiere and an event for us,” Ladd shared of Rambling Rose. “She positioned herself between us, grasping our hands, and weeping, viewing our performance.”

The nineties included parts in comedy Cemetery Club, a film joining her again with Burstyn, the movie Primary Colors, a political comedy, starring John Travolta and the film by Alexander Payne the movie Citizen Ruth in which she portrayed Laura Dern’s mom again. That period also saw her score TV award nominations for roles in the series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, the show Grace Under Fire and Touched by an Angel, a drama.

Working with Laura Dern

She continued to star with Laura Dern in films blending humor and drama Daddy and Them, a movie, Lynch’s Inland Empire and Mike White’s dark comedy series Enlightened. She additionally starred next to actress Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, a movie, Anthony Hopkins, a legend in The World’s Fastest Indian plus Jennifer Lawrence in the film Joy.

Her more recent television parts featured Ray Donovan, a drama and Young Sheldon.

Filmmaking Ventures

She also authored and helmed the comedy the movie Mrs Munck that included Diane Ladd and former husband Bruce Dern, an actor. “Bruce is a talented star,” she noted. “I was honored to direct him on a project. In fact, I am the sole female in history who directed her former husband. I make a joke: ‘I advise females, if you want revenge, guide your former spouse.’ However, I’m joking.”

Personal Connections

She was additionally the third cousin of the great Tennessee Williams, who she called “a major inspiration on my life”.

Back in 2018, doctors misdiagnosed Ladd with a pulmonary condition and informed she had just six months to live but made a full recovery after her daughter moved her to another medical facility.

“Should you harness your suffering and not let it back up like an injury, rather utilize it to explore, to make the path clearer for yourself and others, then you are winning,” Ladd expressed.