Oscar Winner And Acting Legend Diane Keaton Dead At 79

Legendary actress and Oscar winner Diane Keaton has passed away, according to an exclusive report in People Magazine. Keaton was 79 years old at the time of her death.

The outlet notes that, though Keaton's family did confirm her passing, they asked for privacy at this time and didn't release any further details. Keaton lived in California up until her death.

Known for her frequent collaborations with writer-director Woody Allen — her Oscar was thanks to her performance as the titular role in the 1977 romantic comedy staple "Annie Hall" — Keaton also appeared in favorites like "The First Wives Club," "Father of the Bride" and its sequel, "Book Club," the Nancy Meyers film "Something's Gotta Give," and, of course, her role as Kay Adams-Corleone in "The Godfather."

Keaton is survived by her daughter, Dexter, and her son, Duke, whom she adopted in 1996 and 2001.

Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles, California in 1946, the actress who would eventually become known as Diane Keaton — because, in typical Hollywood fashion, there was already somebody in the Actors' Equity Association named Diane Hall, so she used her mother's maiden name — got her start in a stage play called "Play It Again, Sam" written by her future romantic partner and collaborator Woody Allen. After charming Allen and earning a Tony nomination for her role, Keaton had her big break in 1972 thanks to Francis Ford Coppola's revered film "The Godfather," where she plays Kay Adams, a woman who romances and ultimately marries Michael Corleone (Al Pacino). Keaton reprised her role in "The Godfather Part II" as well as the much-maligned "The Godfather Part III."

Besides "Annie Hall" — a movie that Allen styled around her by using her nickname and real last name as the title and basing Annie largely on Keaton — Allen and Keaton worked together on a whole bunch of projects, including "Sleeper," the film version of "Play It Again, Sam," "Love and Death," "Interiors," and, of course, "Manhattan." Keaton also worked with writer-director Nancy Meyers on repeat projects including "Baby Boom" and "Something's Gotta Give" (a movie where her character, for some reason, doesn't pick Keanu Reeves as her soulmate but is a total delight otherwise). Other notable favorites include "The First Wives Club" and "Father of the Bride," and in recent years, Keaton has appeared in projects like "Book Club" and "Mack & Rita."

This is a genuinely gutting, devastating loss for movie lovers and audiences across the world. Keaton never failed to bring wit, charm, and a unique sparkle to her varied and excellent films, and she will be missed for years to come.