Diane Keaton’s Family Confirms Her Cause Of Death

In the days following Diane Keaton’s death at 79, fans, friends, and fellow actors have remembered the screen icon with touching tributes and personal memories. Now, Keaton’s family is opening up about how she died and sharing one meaningful way fans can honor the late star.

Diane Keaton’s Cause Of Death

In a new statement to People, Keaton’s family shared that the mom of two died of pneumonia on Oct. 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,” they wrote.

Indeed, Keaton has been memorialized by audiences and collaborators alike, including Nancy Meyers, who worked with Keaton on Baby Boom, the Father of the Bride films, and Something’s Gotta Give (which she’s called her favorite film). “She was fearless, she was like nobody ever, she was born to be a movie star, her laugh could make your day and for me, knowing her and working with her — changed my life,” Meyers wrote on Instagram. “Thank you Di. I’ll miss you forever.”

How Fans Can Pay Tribute

In addition to sharing Keaton’s cause of death, her family drew attention to a sweet way fans can remember her, writing: “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.”

In just one example of her activism, Keaton served on the board of directors at Helen Woodward Animal Center for more than 20 years. In a release shared via People, the rescue credited Keaton with working to establish animal safety regulations and promote pet adoption. As Mike Arms, the center’s president and CEO, said in a statement: “It’s impossible to count the number of lives that Diane has saved.”

Keaton was a devoted dog mom, and her golden retriever, Reggie, was a frequent fixture on her Instagram, where she often shared sweet photos and videos of playing with the pup at home.

Her pet was front of mind in a 2021 Interview chat with Ariana Grande, who asked Keaton what it felt like to be “so f*cking iconic.”

“I don’t really see it that way,” Keaton said. “I live with myself and I’m hardly iconic. I get up in the morning and it’s me again. I’m just another person saying, ‘Gee, I’d better feed the dog.’”