Diane Ladd, Actress and Mother of Laura Dern, Dies at 89 — After Being Told She Had Only Months to Live
Laura Dern's mother's passing came over a year after Dern opened up about how the diagnosis her mom received sparked emotional and deep conversations between them.
Diane Ladd, a trailblazing actress known for her magnetic presence and fearless portrayals, has sadly passed away at the age of 89. Her famous daughter, actress Laura Dern, confirmed the heartbreaking news on Monday, November 3, 2025.
Diane Ladd at SiriusXM Studios in New York City on April 24, 2023. | Source: Getty Images
In an emotional tribute, Dern described Ladd as "the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and [sic] empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created." She added, "She is flying with her angels now."
Ladd's passing marks the end of an era for a performer whose career spanned more than six decades. Born Rose Diane Ladner in Laurel, Mississippi, she began acting in her early twenties, earning credits on television classics such as "Perry Mason," "Gunsmoke," and "The Big Valley."
But it wasn't until Martin Scorsese's 1974 drama "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" that she rose to national prominence. Her portrayal of Flo, the quick-witted, brash waitress, earned her the first of three Academy Award nominations.
Throughout her illustrious career, Ladd effortlessly shifted between roles, both comedic and tragic. She appeared in films like "Chinatown" and "Primary Colors" and received further Oscar nods for her performances in "Wild at Heart" and "Rambling Rose" — both of which she shared the screen with her daughter.
Ladd and Dern made history as one of the rare mother-daughter duos nominated for Oscars in the same film. Their bond, both personal and professional, was deeply rooted in shared experience.
In 2023, Dern recalled a period of profound reconnection with her mother after a devastating health diagnosis shook their family. "The doctor told us the one thing that can help her is getting her to walk to breathe deeper," said Dern in a past interview with People.
What followed were slow, reflective walks through Santa Monica with Ladd on oxygen, during which the two discussed everything from acting careers and heartbreaks to family trauma and loss — including Ladd's divorce from Dern's father and the death of their first child. Dern dubbed those moments as ones that "grew into a profound deepening" of their relationship.
That emotional journey began when Ladd, then 87, was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis — a rare and incurable lung condition. Doctors gave her just six months to live.
Ladd, who passed away peacefully at home in Ojai, California, with Dern at her side, is survived by her daughter and by the countless audiences moved by her transformative performances.
As Dern beautifully expressed, "We were blessed to have her." As it stands, Laura Dern has not disclosed her mother's cause of death. More details on the story will follow shortly.