Lauren Graham Shared The Sweet Advice Diane Keaton Gave Her

In the wake of Diane Keaton’s death at 79 on Oct. 11, the acting and fashion icon’s former colleagues have been paying tribute to her life and career. Her Because I Said So co-star Lauren Graham added poignant words to the chorus on Oct. 14, sharing part of a letter she once received from Keaton on social media. Though Graham revealed just three sentences from the message, they captured the warmth of the two women’s relationship and a touching piece of advice that made a big impact.

Diane Keaton’s Words Of Encouragement

As Graham explained in her Instagram caption, Keaton gave her the letter “years ago, when writing a book was just a dream” of hers. “Her work as an actor was an inspiration to me,” she added. “Her encouragement changed my life.”

In the portion of the letter Graham shared, Keaton first encouraged her to keep in touch, writing, “Please don’t be a stranger. Please invite me to one of your dinners.” Then she got into her advice, adding, “And finally…. Please hug yourself in the morning, and remember to write your book, and don’t let yourself get anxious, you big winner you.” Keaton signed off with “Love, Di.”

Actors-Slash-Authors

Keaton was the right person to look to for inspiration, because she had success as a writer after making it as an actor. She published her first memoir, Then Again, in 2011, as well as 2014’s Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty, 2020’s Brother & Sister, and 2024’s Fashion First. Speaking to NPR about her writing in November 2011, she explained that it helped keep her from bottling up her feelings.

“When you think about my fame, it was really that I became famous for being an inarticulate woman in a Woody Allen movie,” she said, “but I found a way to express myself through words.”

Her example and encouragement helped Graham. The Gilmore Girls vet went on to publish her first book, Someday, Someday, Maybe, in April 2013, and the novel made the New York Times bestseller list upon its release. Since then, she’s written three more successful books. Her first memoir, Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between), was published in 2016, followed by 2018’s In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It and 2022’s Have I Told You This Already?: Stories I Don’t Want to Forget to Remember.

In the acknowledgements of Someday, Someday, Maybe, Graham thanked her friend and co-star directly. “Thank you, Diane Keaton, for responding to some long boring story I was probably telling with ‘You should write a book,’ instead of ‘You should really save this for your therapist,’” she wrote. “Your inspiration meant the world to me.”