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This Academy Award-nominated performer the celebrated Diane Ladd passed away aged 89.

The star, with credits spanned National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, died at her home in Ojai, California. The news was shared through a message shared by her child, Academy Award-winning star Laura Dern.

Dern, who performed alongside Diane Ladd in several movies such as Rambling Rose, described her as “my incredible hero as well as my profound gift as a mother”, writing that she was at her bedside during her final moments.

“She was the most wonderful daughter, mother, grandmother, performer, creative as well as caring individual that felt like a dream come true,” she expressed. “We were lucky to have her. She is flying with her angels now.”

Initial Roles and Breakthrough

Ladd’s early career featured minor parts on television series like The Fugitive and that decade had her appearing alongside Jack Nicholson in Chinatown.

In the same year, 1974, she appeared alongside Ellen Burstyn in Scorsese’s acclaimed dramatic comedy Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, a classic. Her acting earned Ladd her first Oscar nomination for best supporting actress.

Subsequent Years

Throughout the 1980s, she appeared in crime thriller Black Widow and funny follow-up National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and appeared on the sitcom Alice, a television series inspired by the film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

During the next ten years, she received a further best supporting actress nomination for her performance in the David Lynch film Wild at Heart where she acted as the mom of her real-life daughter the character played by Dern. The following year she was awarded a further nomination for her performance in Rambling Rose which included Laura Dern.

“This movie that Princess Diana chose as her absolutely favorite, and she brought me and Laura to the UK for a premiere and a celebration for us,” Ladd recalled of Rambling Rose. “She positioned herself between us, holding both our hands, and crying, watching us perform.”

That decade featured performances in humorous films The Cemetery Club reuniting her with Ellen Burstyn, the movie Primary Colors, a political comedy, starring John Travolta and Payne’s the movie Citizen Ruth where she played the mother of Dern again. Those years also saw her score TV award nominations for work in the series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, Grace Under Fire and Touched by an Angel, a drama.

Working with Laura Dern

She persisted in performing alongside her daughter in films blending humor and drama the film Daddy and Them, Lynch’s the movie Inland Empire and Mike White’s comedy-drama series the program Enlightened. She was also seen with Sandra Bullock, a star in 28 Days, a movie, Sir Anthony Hopkins in that movie and with Jennifer Lawrence in Joy.

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

Filmmaking Ventures

She also authored and helmed the humorous movie Mrs Munck, a film that included herself and previous spouse Bruce Dern, an actor. “Bruce is a talented star,” she said. “It was a privilege to guide him in a film. Actually, I’m the only woman in recorded history to helm a film with her ex. I often joke: ‘I tell women, should you desire retribution, guide your former spouse.’ However, I’m joking.”

Personal Connections

Ladd was also a family member of playwright Tennessee Williams, whom she described as “a significant impact in my life”.

During 2018, she received an incorrect diagnosis with a respiratory illness and told she only had half a year left but made a full recovery after her daughter moved her to another medical facility.

“Should you harness your suffering and avoid letting it accumulate like an injury, rather utilize it to discover, to illuminate the way for you and those around, then you are succeeding,” Ladd said.