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This Academy Award-nominated actor Diane Ladd passed away at the age of 89.

The actress, with filmography featured Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, passed away at home in California’s Ojai. Her passing was revealed via an announcement shared by her child, Oscar-winning actor Laura Dern.

Her daughter, who appeared with her mom in several movies such as Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose, referred to her as “my incredible hero and my profound gift of a mother”, writing that she was by her side as she died.

“She was the greatest grandmother, mother, daughter, star, artist as well as caring individual that seemed almost dreamlike,” she wrote. “We were blessed to have her. She is now with the angels.”

Early Career and Major Success

Ladd’s early career included small roles on television series such as Perry Mason whereas the 1970s had her appearing next to Jack Nicholson in the classic Chinatown.

During that year, 1974, she appeared alongside Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed dramatic comedy Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, a classic. Her acting brought Ladd an Academy Award nomination in the supporting actress category.

Subsequent Years

During the eighties, she was seen in the thriller the movie Black Widow and funny follow-up National Lampoon’s holiday comedy and also took part in Alice, a sitcom derived from Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

In the following decade, she earned another Oscar nomination for supporting actress Oscar nomination for her role in David Lynch’s Wild at Heart in which she portrayed the parent of her biological child Dern’s character. The next year she received a further nomination for her role in Rambling Rose which included Dern.

“This movie which Princess Diana picked as her top choice, and she invited us to England for a royal premiere and an event dedicated to us,” Ladd said regarding Rambling Rose. “And she sat between us, holding both our hands, and weeping, watching us perform.”

The nineties included parts in comedy The Cemetery Club bringing her back with Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political comedy, with John Travolta and the film by Alexander Payne Citizen Ruth where she played Dern’s mother another time. Those years also brought her Emmy nominations for performances on Dr Quinn, Grace Under Fire plus Touched by an Angel.

Working with Laura Dern

She persisted in performing with Laura Dern in comedy drama the film Daddy and Them, David Lynch’s Inland Empire, a surreal film and White’s satirical show Enlightened. She also appeared next to Sandra Bullock, a star in the film 28 Days, Sir Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian and Jennifer Lawrence in the film Joy.

Her later TV roles included Ray Donovan, a drama and Young Sheldon, a comedy.

Behind the Camera

She additionally penned and directed the humorous movie Mrs Munck, a film which starred herself and former husband Bruce Dern. “Bruce is an excellent performer,” she mentioned. “I was honored to direct him in a film. In fact, I am the sole female ever to helm a film with her ex. I humorously say: ‘I advise females, should you desire retribution, direct your ex-husband.’ Though I’m just teasing.”

Family Ties

Ladd was also a family member of Tennessee Williams, who she referred to as “a great influence throughout my life”.

In 2018, she received an incorrect diagnosis with a respiratory illness and informed she had just six months to live but she regained full health after her daughter transferred her to a new hospital.

“If you can take your pain and not let it back up similar to a wound, instead apply it to explore, to clarify the journey for you and those around, then you are winning,” Ladd said.