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The award-nominated actor Diane Ladd, a Hollywood veteran passed away at the age of 89.

The actress, with roles included National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, passed away at home at her Ojai, California home. The news was announced via an announcement from her daughter, Academy Award-winning star Laura Dern.

Her daughter, who performed alongside Diane Ladd in several movies such as Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose, referred to her as “my wonderful hero and my profound gift as a mother”, noting that she was at her bedside during her final moments.

“She was the greatest grandmother, mother, daughter, star, artist and caring individual that felt like a dream come true,” she stated. “We were blessed to have her. Her spirit soars with angels.”

Beginnings and Rise to Fame

The start of her career featured minor parts on television series like Perry Mason whereas the 1970s had her appearing with actor Jack Nicholson in Chinatown.

In the same year, 1974, she shared the screen with Ellen Burstyn in Scorsese’s acclaimed comedy drama Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. The performance brought Ladd her initial Oscar nod as best supporting actress.

Later Decades

Throughout the 1980s, she was seen in crime thriller Black Widow plus funny follow-up Christmas Vacation and appeared on the show Alice, a comedy program derived from the film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

In the subsequent decade, she was given a further supporting actress Oscar nomination for her performance in Lynch’s Wild at Heart, a cult classic in which she portrayed the mother of her real-life daughter the character played by Dern. A year later she received a further nomination for her role in the film Rambling Rose that also featured Dern.

“This was the film that the late Princess Diana picked as her top choice, and she invited me and Laura to England for a special screening and a party dedicated to us,” Ladd shared about the film Rambling Rose. “She sat with us, taking our hands, and weeping, watching us perform.”

The nineties also saw roles in comedy The Cemetery Club joining her again with Ellen Burstyn, the movie Primary Colors, a comedy about politics, featuring John Travolta and Alexander Payne’s the movie Citizen Ruth where she acted as the mother of Dern another time. That period also brought her Emmy nominations for roles on Dr Quinn, the show Grace Under Fire and Touched by an Angel, a drama.

Partnerships with Her Daughter

She kept appearing with Laura Dern in films blending humor and drama Daddy and Them, David Lynch’s the movie Inland Empire and the series by Mike White comedy-drama series Enlightened, a TV series. She also appeared alongside Sandra Bullock, a star 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 the series Ray Donovan plus Young Sheldon.

Writing and Directing

She also authored and helmed the humorous movie the movie Mrs Munck featuring herself and ex-husband actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is a talented star,” she mentioned. “I’m privileged to have directed him in a film. Indeed, I’m the only woman in history who directed her former husband. I humorously say: ‘I advise females, if you seek payback, helm a movie with your ex.’ But I’m only kidding.”

Personal Life

Ladd was also the third cousin of Tennessee Williams, who she called “a significant impact throughout my life”.

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

“If you can take your pain and avoid letting it accumulate like an injury, instead use it to discover, to illuminate the way for personal and collective growth, then you are triumphing,” Ladd said.