Eccentric and approachable, with a sort of effervescent charm, it’s no surprise that she played muse to so many, from Woody Allen to Nancy Meyers.
Eccentric and approachable, with a sort of effervescent charm, it’s no surprise that she played muse to so many, from Woody Allen to Nancy Meyers.
Diane Keaton never really played the part of glamorous movie star. She was in iconic films and she dated some of the biggest stars of her generation, and yet she somehow remained other and defiantly herself despite so many years working in the Hollywood system. Eccentric and approachable, with a sort of effervescent charm, it’s no surprise that she played muse to so many, from Woody Allen to Nancy Meyers.
People often describe her as self-deprecating, as if it were a choice and not a product of deep-seated insecurity. Keaton was someone who thought herself ugly, who battled eating disorders and who never seemed to give herself enough credit for her successes. But she was also able to channel that into her performances spanning five decades, unlike any other.
There are so many Keaton films worth noting, including her full run with Allen. There are the Instagram favorites like “The First Wives Club” (available to rent), nostalgic classics like “Father of the Bride” (streaming on Hulu) and dramatic turns in “Marvin’s Room” (streaming on Kanopy) and “Shoot the Moon” (available to rent).
Here are six essential roles to get you started.“The Godfather” (1972)
Kay Adams, the future Mrs. Corleone, could have been a wallpaper role. But Keaton, in her breakout role, held the screen next to her flashier counterparts. She was the wife who had something going on behind her eyes, who could hold the screen in the chilling final shot of the first film. Social media doesn’t often produce anything worthwhile but in 2023 Francis Ford Coppola and Keaton had an exchange on an Instagram story “ask me anything” session.
