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This Oscar-nominated actor Diane Ladd has died 89 years old.

The actress, with filmography featured Chinatown, died at her home in California’s Ojai. The news was shared in a statement by her daughter, award-winning actress her daughter Laura Dern.

Laura Dern, who appeared with her mom in several movies including Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose, called her “my wonderful hero plus my special gift of a mother”, noting that she was present when she passed.

“She was an exceptional daughter, mother, grandmother, star, artist and empathetic spirit that felt like a dream come true,” she expressed. “We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now.”

Early Career and Major Success

Ladd’s early career saw supporting roles in television programs like The Fugitive while the 1970s featured her performing alongside the legendary Jack Nicholson in Chinatown.

During that year, 1974, she shared the screen with actress Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese’s praised comedy drama Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Her acting landed Ladd an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress.

Subsequent Years

Throughout the 1980s, she was seen in crime thriller Black Widow, a suspense story as well as funny follow-up National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and appeared on the show Alice, a television series based on the film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

In the following decade, she received another supporting actress Academy Award nomination for her role in the David Lynch film the movie Wild at Heart where she acted as the parent of her actual daughter the character played by Dern. The following year she received another nomination for her acting in the film Rambling Rose which included her daughter.

“This was the film which Princess Diana chose as her absolutely favorite, and she invited us to London for a royal premiere and a celebration for us,” Ladd shared regarding Rambling Rose. “She sat with us, holding both our hands, and weeping, viewing our performance.”

The 1990s featured performances in humorous films The Cemetery Club reuniting her with Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political story, a political comedy, with John Travolta and Payne’s Citizen Ruth, a dark comedy where she played Laura Dern’s mom again. That period also saw her score TV award nominations for roles on Dr Quinn, the show Grace Under Fire plus Touched by an Angel.

Partnerships with Her Daughter

She continued to star with Laura Dern in comedy drama Daddy and Them, the David Lynch project Inland Empire, a surreal film and Mike White’s satirical show Enlightened. She was also seen next to actress Sandra Bullock in the film 28 Days, Anthony Hopkins, a legend in The World’s Fastest Indian plus Jennifer Lawrence in Joy.

Subsequent TV appearances consisted of Ray Donovan and Young Sheldon.

Writing and Directing

She also authored and helmed the humorous movie Mrs Munck, a film that included herself and former husband Bruce Dern, an actor. “Bruce is a talented star,” she mentioned. “I’m privileged to have directed him in a film. In fact, I am the sole female in history to direct her ex-husband. I often joke: ‘I tell women, should you desire retribution, helm a movie with your ex.’ However, I’m joking.”

Personal Life

Ladd was also a relative of Tennessee Williams, whom she described as “a significant impact on my life”.

Back in 2018, doctors misdiagnosed Ladd with lung disease and told she had just six months to live but made a full recovery once her daughter moved her to a different hospital.

“When you use your pain and not let it back up like a sore or something, rather utilize it to discover, to clarify the journey for personal and collective growth, then you are triumphing,” Ladd remarked.