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The Oscar-nominated actress Diane Ladd, a Hollywood veteran has died aged 89.

This actress, with filmography spanned Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, died at her home in California’s Ojai. The news was shared in a statement by her child, Academy Award-winning star Laura Dern.

Dern, who appeared with her mother in a number of films like Wild at Heart, described her as “my wonderful hero as well as my precious gift of a mother”, writing that she was present when she passed.

“She was the greatest mother, daughter, grandmother, star, artist as well as caring individual that felt like a dream come true,” she wrote. “We were lucky to have her. She is flying with her angels now.”

Initial Roles and Rise to Fame

Ladd’s early career included minor parts on television series including The Fugitive while the 1970s saw her starring next to the legendary Jack Nicholson in the film Chinatown.

During that year, the year 1974, she performed with Ellen Burstyn in Scorsese’s acclaimed comedy drama the movie Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Her acting brought Ladd an Academy Award nomination as best supporting actress.

Subsequent Years

In the 1980s, she appeared in the thriller the movie Black Widow as well as humorous film National Lampoon’s holiday comedy and appeared on the sitcom Alice, a sitcom derived from her earlier movie.

In the following decade, she received a further Oscar nomination for supporting actress Academy Award nomination for her part in David Lynch’s Wild at Heart where she acted as the mother of her actual daughter the character played by Dern. The next year she received a further nomination for her performance in Rambling Rose, another movie which included Dern.

“This was the picture that Princess Diana chose as her absolutely favorite, and she brought us to London for a premiere and a party in our honor,” Ladd recalled of Rambling Rose. “She positioned herself between us, taking our hands, and weeping, seeing us act.”

The 1990s featured performances in humorous films The Cemetery Club bringing her back with her co-star Burstyn, Primary Colors, a satirical film, with John Travolta and the film by Alexander Payne Citizen Ruth where she acted as Dern’s mother another time. That period also earned her nominations for Emmy Awards for work in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, the show Grace Under Fire and Touched by an Angel, a drama.

Working with Laura Dern

She continued to star with Laura Dern in dramatic comedies the film Daddy and Them, David Lynch’s Inland Empire and Mike White’s satirical show the program Enlightened. She was also seen next to actress Sandra Bullock in 28 Days, Anthony Hopkins in that movie and Jennifer Lawrence in the film Joy.

Her later TV roles included the series Ray Donovan and Young Sheldon.

Filmmaking Ventures

Ladd also wrote and directed the humorous movie the movie Mrs Munck which starred herself and previous spouse Bruce Dern, an actor. “Bruce is an excellent performer,” she mentioned. “I’m privileged to have directed him on a project. Actually, I stand as the only woman in history who directed her former husband. I humorously say: ‘I advise females, should you desire retribution, direct your ex-husband.’ But I’m only kidding.”

Family Ties

She happened to be a relative of playwright Tennessee Williams, whom she described as “a significant impact on my life”.

In 2018, doctors misdiagnosed Ladd with a pulmonary condition and told she had just six months to live but made a full recovery when her daughter shifted her to another medical facility.

“When you use your pain and prevent it from festering like a sore or something, instead use it to discover, to illuminate the way for personal and collective growth, then you are triumphing,” Ladd expressed.