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This award-nominated actor Diane Ladd passed away aged 89.

This actor, whose credits featured National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, left this world in her residence in California’s Ojai. The news was shared via an announcement from her daughter, Oscar-winning actor her daughter Laura Dern.

Her daughter, who performed alongside Diane Ladd in a number of films including Wild at Heart, referred to her as “my wonderful hero as well as my special gift as a mother”, writing that she was at her bedside as she died.

“She was the most wonderful mother, daughter, grandmother, star, artist as well as empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she stated. “We were fortunate to know her. She is flying with her angels now.”

Early Career and Breakthrough

The start of her career included supporting roles on television series like The Fugitive and that decade had her appearing with the legendary Jack Nicholson in the classic Chinatown.

In the same year, 1974, she appeared with Ellen Burstyn in Scorsese’s celebrated comedy drama Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Her role earned Ladd her initial Oscar nod for best supporting actress.

1980s and Beyond

Throughout the 1980s, she appeared in crime thriller the movie Black Widow as well as humorous film National Lampoon’s holiday comedy and also took part in Alice, a comedy program based on the film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

During the next ten years, she received a further supporting actress Oscar nomination for her part in the David Lynch film the movie Wild at Heart where she acted as the mother of her real-life daughter Dern’s character. The next year she received an additional nod for her role in Rambling Rose, another movie which included Laura Dern.

“This movie which Princess Diana picked as her top choice, and she brought me and Laura to the UK for a royal premiere and a celebration in our honor,” Ladd said of Rambling Rose. “She sat with us, taking our hands, and weeping, watching us perform.”

That decade included parts in comedy Cemetery Club bringing her back with Burstyn, Primary Colors, a satirical film, with John Travolta and Alexander Payne’s Citizen Ruth where she acted as the mother of Dern again. That period also brought her TV award nominations for roles on Dr Quinn, Grace Under Fire, a sitcom and Touched by an Angel.

Working with Laura Dern

She persisted in performing with Laura Dern in films blending humor and drama Daddy and Them, a movie, David Lynch’s Inland Empire and White’s comedy-drama series the program Enlightened. She was also seen next to Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, Sir Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian and Jennifer Lawrence in Joy.

Her more recent television parts consisted of Ray Donovan, a drama and Young Sheldon, a comedy.

Behind the Camera

She also authored and directed the comedy the movie Mrs Munck featuring Diane Ladd and former husband Bruce Dern, an actor. “Bruce is a great actor,” she noted. “It was a privilege to guide him on a project. Actually, I stand as the only woman ever to helm a film with her ex. I make a joke: ‘I advise females, if you want revenge, helm a movie with your ex.’ But I’m only kidding.”

Personal Connections

She happened to be the third cousin of playwright Tennessee Williams, who she referred to as “a significant impact on my life”.

Back in 2018, doctors misdiagnosed Ladd with lung disease and informed her life expectancy was six months yet she recovered completely once her daughter moved her to another medical facility.

“When you use your pain and avoid letting it accumulate like an injury, rather utilize it to investigate, to make the path clearer for personal and collective growth, then you are succeeding,” Ladd said.