Diane Keaton, Acclaimed Academy Award-Winning Actress at 77, Faces Hateful Criticism for Embracing Gray Hair and Aging Body. Despite Battling an Eating Disorder, She Offers a Perfect Response to Haters.
Undoubtedly, Diane Keaton epitomizes a living legend and stands as one of Hollywood’s most accomplished leading ladies. With an illustrious career spanning nearly six decades, she has consistently enthralled fans and left an indelible mark on the world of cinema.
In 1968, Diane Keaton stepped onto the acting stage, assuming the role of an understudy in the captivating hippie-musical, Hair. Little did she know, this fortuitous opportunity caught the attention of Woody Allen, who extended her an invitation to join the Broadway production, Play it Again, Sam.
Onstage, Keaton and Allen portrayed a couple, and their undeniable chemistry spilled over into real life as they embarked on a romantic relationship that lasted for a couple of years. Despite their subsequent breakup, they remained steadfast friends, collaborating on various films and projects over the years.
While Keaton had a notable breakthrough in The Godfather, it was her reunion with Allen in the iconic Annie Hall (1977) that propelled her career to new heights, earning her both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.
American actor Diane Keaton in a scene from ‘The Godfather Part II,’ directed by Francis Ford Coppola, 1974. (Photo by Paramount Pictures/courtesy of Getty Images)
The filmography of Diane Keaton is truly extensive, making it a challenge to enumerate her contributions. Among the many remarkable films she graced, notable mentions include Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Manhattan, and the acclaimed Reds (1981), where she starred alongside Warren Beatty, with whom she developed a profound admiration. In an interview with Variety, Keaton reminisced about her first encounter with Beatty, expressing her awe: “The first time I saw Warren was in Splendor in the Grass (1961). I mean, come on! He was, I mean, to die for. A Dream. I mean, Bonnie and Clyde? Come on.” She continued to laud his talents, not only as a captivating actor but also as an exceptional producer and director.
Additionally, Keaton left an indelible mark with appearances in films such as Father of the Bride (1991), Manhattan Murder Mystery, The Godfather Part III, Something’s Gotta Give (alongside Jack Nicholson), and many more.
Regarding Keaton, Nicholson himself praised her fascinating nature, noting her unpredictability and disciplined approach to her craft. He remarked, “She’s nothing if not fascinating, and working with her, she’s very unpredictable, which I like. She’s very disciplined about it all. She approaches a script sort of like a play in that she has the entire script memorized before you start doing the movie, which I don’t know any other actors doing that.”
Keaton embraces the concept of natural beauty and gracefully embracing the aging process, diverging from the path of plastic surgery often chosen by many celebrities. In an interview with the Daily Beast, she confidently asserts, “I tell myself I’m free to do whatever the hell I want with my body. Why not? I may be a caricature of my former self; I’m still wearing wide-belted plaid coats, horn-rimmed glasses, and turtlenecks in the summertime. So what? Nobody cares but me.” She further expresses her perspective on cosmetic procedures, stating, “I don’t see anything wrong with face-lifts or Botox or fillers. They just erase the hidden battle scars. I intend to wear mine, sort of.”
NEW YORK, NY – CIRCA 1978: Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton circa 1978 in New York City. (Photo by Sonia Moskowitz/IMAGES/Getty Images)During the early stages of her career, Keaton faced immense pressure to conform to societal expectations regarding weight. This struggle originated with her first appearance on stage in Hair and subsequently led to an unhealthy relationship with food that persisted for a significant period.
Reflecting on this challenging period, Keaton candidly expressed, “It was horrible. It was, of course, the lowest point of my life… I was a fat person, I was an obese person, who had somehow tricked myself and managed to hide it. So when you’re living with a lie for four years…” In her explanation of her battle with bulimia, she further revealed, “All I did was feed my hunger, so I am an addict. It’s true. I’m an addict in recovery, I’ll always be an addict. I have an addictive nature to me.”
Unfortunately, Keaton has also faced criticism from fans on social media regarding her appearance. Following her appearance at the Golden Globes in 2014, a tweet surfaced saying, “Wow. Diane Keaton got fat.” Another recent critic tweeted, “Well, Diane Keaton isn’t nice, she’s ugly inside and out!”
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During the 2017 American Film Awards gala, when Keaton received a Lifetime Achievement Award, Woody Allen humorously touched upon her eating disorder, stating, “I didn’t know many things until I read her books. I didn’t know she was bulimic… I would be taking her to these high-end restaurants. $400 for dinner. If I knew she was throwing them up, I could have taken her to Pizza Hut.”
Although Keaton joined in laughter at the joke, the reality is that she takes her struggle with bulimia seriously. In the past, she spoke sincerely about her ongoing efforts to maintain her weight and the lengths she went to hide her condition. She became adept at concealing any evidence, living a peculiar lifestyle to ensure no one knew. Keaton candidly expressed, “People were nice enough, but I felt like an outsider. I had a problem—it was sick and creepy. Bulimia takes a lot of time out of your day.”
Later in life, during her fifties, Keaton embraced motherhood by adopting her son and daughter.
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