Diane Keaton died on Oct. 11 at the age of 79, and one of her mentees, Reese Witherspoon, paid an emotional tribute to her while holding back tears.
Witherspoon was speaking at a Hello Sunshine: Shine Away event in Los Angeles over the weekend when she informed the crowd of Keaton’s death. Fighting back tears, she delivered a heartfelt, off-the-cuff speech honoring the life of a woman who had mentored her in the acting world for decades.
Reese Witherspoon Remembers Her First Meeting With Diane Keaton
Speaking about Keaton, Witherspoon said, “She was incredible, indelible and just a truly original person.”
“I’m gonna try to get through this without tearing up,” she continued. “But I don’t know if you guys heard that Diane Keaton passed today.”
“Diane was one of my first mentors in this business,” Witherspoon shared. “I was 15 years old, I was from Nashville, Tennessee, and I didn’t know anybody. It was my second, maybe my third movie audition ever.”
The decorated actress continued, “I came in with this big country accent, and I was playing this little Southern girl. She goes, ‘Who are you?’”
Witherspoon went on, “I said, ‘I’m Reese Witherspoon and I’m from Nashville, Tennessee.’”
As she told the story, Witherspoon slipped back into the voice of her 15-year-old self — raising the pitch of her voice and channeling the wide-eyed newcomer she once was — to give the crowd a sense of just how young and green she felt in that moment.
Witherspoon shared how Keaton was instantly enamored with her and her accent. “She said, ‘Are you making that up? That accent you’re doing?’” Witherspoon recalled. “I said, ‘No ma’am, I’m from Nashville, Tennessee, and I’d love to be in your movie.’”
Showing just how in awe Keaton was of her in that moment, Witherspoon explained, “She was like, ‘Well, you’re hired. You’re hired today, tomorrow and the next day. I don’t know who you are, but I’m so excited to have you.’”
How Old Was Diane Keaton When She Died?
Diane Keaton passed away at the age of 79.
Was Diane Keaton Married?
No. According to Men’s Journal she even once said “I don’t want to be a wife. No”
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