Following the death of Hollywood legend Diane Keaton, fans are discovering the emotional reason behind her famous headwear.
It was announced on Saturday, October 11, that the First Wives Club actress had died at the age of 79.
A family spokesperson confirmed the devastating news by saying that Keaton, also known for The Godfather and Father of the Bride, had died in California. No further details have been shared yet, with her loved ones requesting privacy as they grieve.
Throughout her life, Keaton became synonymous with fashionable ensembles, crediting her mother as her wardrobe inspiration and declaring that, for a look to have her flair, it must comprise ‘a turtleneck, suit, large belt, and of course, a hat and glasses!’
Her outfits were just as iconic as the characters she played on-screen, the merging of traditional feminine attire with more masculine accessories becoming her brand.
As well as her glasses and signature suits, Keaton was seldom seen without a wide-brimmed hat or a turtleneck.
However, the story behind them is heartbreaking, as the film star previously admitted she would feel ‘uncomfortable’ with more skin on show.
Why did Diane Keaton always cover her neck and head?
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times in May 2019, Keaton proudly declared, ‘I know what I am by now’, as she discussed her style.
Admitting that her clothing choices became a form of protection, though, she divulged to InStyle in July that year: ‘Yes, it’s very protective. It hides a multitude of sins.
‘Flaws, anxiety—things like that.
‘I would not feel comfortable in a short skirt or something cut off with my arms hanging out there.’
She added: ‘And I’ve always liked hats. They just frame a head. But, of course, nobody really thinks they’re as great as I do.’
Keaton went on to recount her battles with ‘so many skin cancers’; hence, a hat helped to ‘protect [her] from the sun’.
Diane Keaton’s history of skin cancer
At the age of 21, Keaton was diagnosed with the skin cancer basal-cell carcinoma.
Decades down the line, she was diagnosed with squamous cell cancer, for which she underwent two surgeries.
Following this, the Oscar winner did not play when it came to looking after her skin, having been an avid preacher of the importance of wearing SPF.
‘Wear sunscreen. You’ve got to put it on,’ she stressed once to Total Beauty, admitting to always carrying around factor 50 following the ‘serious’ squamous cell.
‘And I had it for a very, very long time [before it was diagnosed]. I knew something was up, but no one could find it,’ she recalled.
‘I had three biopsies before they found it. And it was deep. A squamous cell cancer is second to melanoma, and you can die from it because it will spread. It’s really not a joke.’
She wasn’t always so skin-conscious, though, having once confessed to being more of a sun worshipper in her twenties, which she later noted was ‘stupid’.
Once she hit her forties, Keaton became more educated on sun damage, with skin cancer also running in her family.
‘I remember my Auntie Martha had skin cancer so bad they removed her nose. My father had basal skin cancer, and my brother had it,’ she shared in 2015.
She acknowledged that she might have avoided ’20 skin cancers’ had she been a constant sunscreen wearer and taken the matter ‘seriously’.
But when she was growing up, it wasn’t something that was talked about.
‘You’ve got to put the sunblock on, you’ve got to go to the dermatologist, you have to take care of yourself and pay attention.’
Diane Keaton’s wider health struggles
Beyond her encounters with skin cancer, Keaton spoke publicly about bulimia, which is an eating disorder involving regular episodes of bingeing followed by methods of purging.
She developed the mental illness in her twenties after being told to lose weight for a role, leading to a lifelong struggle.
Keaton had detailed the large quantities of food she was secretly eating and how she ‘managed to hide’ it from the world.
‘So when you’re living with a lie for four years, think about what that does to you,’ she reflected.
‘All I did was feed my hunger, and 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.’
After dedicating herself to recovery, Keaton managed to overcome her eating disorder, but it continued to present challenges, as she still had insecurities.
‘I don’t think it gets easier as you get older,’ she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘I think it gets more pressing, just because it’s really about death. It’s really like approaching it, and how do you approach that part of your life? Nobody wants that.’
Keaton was open about going to therapy, which helped her build on her sense of self-worth and ‘own’ how she was feeling.
‘To keep secrets doesn’t help you at all,’ she told Ellen DeGeneres. ‘I think I’m a sister to all the rest of the women—and men as well—who have had some kind of eating disorder. I’m a part of the team.’