The father lost his bride.
Steve Martin paid tribute to his Father of the Bride co-star Diane Keaton, who played his on-screen wife, Nina Banks, in the beloved 1991 film. Keaton passed away Saturday at the age of 79.
Martin, 80, honored her memory on X (formerly Twitter) by sharing a black-and-white photo of Keaton, simply writing, “Loved!”
Steve Martin and Diane Keaton at The Score premiere in 2001.
“La dee da, la dee da,” Martin added, quoting one of Keaton’s most iconic lines from her 1977 classic Annie Hall.
On Instagram, Martin also shared a snippet from Keaton’s 2021 Interview magazine feature, where their Father of the Bride co-star Martin Short asked Keaton who she thought was sexier — him or Martin.
“I mean, you’re both idiots,” Keaton replied with her signature wit.
Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Martin Short, and Meryl Streep at the American Film Institute’s 45th Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute in June 2017.
Martin captioned his tribute on Instagram, “Don’t know who first posted this, but it sums up our delightful relationship with Diane.”
Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who played Annie, Martin and Keaton’s daughter in Father of the Bride, commented, “I can absolutely hear her saying that.”
Williams-Paisley, 54, also shared her own Instagram tribute to Keaton, posting two throwback photos from the film.
“Diane, working with you will always be one of the highlights of my life,” she wrote. “You are one of a kind, and it was thrilling to be in your orbit for a time. Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, your talent, and above all, your laughter.”
Steve Martin and Diane Keaton at the 1995 Academy Awards.
George Newbern, who played Annie’s fiancé Bryan in Father of the Bride and its 1995 sequel, shared a heartfelt social media message honoring Keaton.
“A brilliant light in every project and in every way,” Newbern, 60, wrote. “She was elegant, charming, witty, and searingly funny. I was so, so lucky to have spent time with her during the Father of the Bride films. She had a powerful ease about her and the ability to make a person feel like they were the only one in the room.”
“She will be dearly missed,” he added. “To my eye, she was an absolute artist—unfailingly interesting and interested in all things beautiful. Rest in peace, sweet Diane.”
Diane Keaton and Steve Martin in Father of the Bride.
Following her death, other Hollywood stars paid tribute to Keaton, including her First Wives Club co-stars Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler, as well as her Book Club co-stars Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen.
Keaton rose to fame in the 1970s and was best known for her roles in The Godfather, Annie Hall, Baby Boom, First Wives Club, Father of the Bride, and Something’s Gotta Give. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1977 for her performance in Annie Hall.
The beloved actress passed away Saturday in California, her family confirmed. A cause of death has not been disclosed.
Diane Keaton at the David di Donatello Awards ceremony in Rome, March 2018.
According to a friend, Keaton’s health “declined very suddenly” in the final months of her life.
“It was so unexpected,” the friend told People, “especially for someone with such strength and spirit.”
Diane Keaton at the 2017 American Film Institute Life Achievement Awards.
Keaton, who had two adopted children—daughter Dexter, 29, and son Duke, 25—was last seen publicly in late 2024 during a holiday shopping trip.
She shared her final Instagram post in April, showing the Hollywood icon happy and healthy with her dog, Reggie.
