Bruce Dern is honoring the memory of his late ex-wife, legendary actress Diane Ladd, with a moving tribute following her passing at age 89. âDiane was a tremendous actress and I feel like, a bit of a âhidden treasureâ until she ran into David Lynch,â Dern, 89, shared in a statement to Us Weekly on November 3.
âWhen he cast her as Lauraâs mom in âWild at Heart,â it felt like the world then really understood her brilliance. She was a great value as a decades-long board member of SAG, giving a real actressâ point of view.â
Laddâs daughter, actress Laura Dern, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that her mother had died peacefully at her home in Ojai, California. Her cause of death has not been publicly revealed.
With his heartfelt words, Dern honored not only Laddâs remarkable career but also her remarkable spirit as an artist, mother, and advocate for fellow actors.
âShe Was a Wonderful Motherâ
In his statement, Dern reflected on Laddâs grace, humor, and deep devotion to her family. âShe lived a good life,â he said.
âShe saw everything the way it was. She was a great teammate to her fellow actors. She was funny, clever, gracious. But most importantly to me, she was a wonderful mother to our incredible wunderkind daughter. And for that I will be forever grateful to her.â
Dern and Ladd were married from 1960 to 1969 and shared two daughters: Laura and Diane.
Their firstborn, Diane, tragically died in 1962 after a drowning accident at just 18 months old, a loss that would shape both parents profoundly.
A Life Marked by Love & Resilience
Ladd spoke candidly about the heartbreak of losing her first child in her memoir Honey, Baby, Mine. âIf you lose a child, itâs very hard to cope,â she wrote.
âWe were struggling actors. We could hardly make it. We had to stay in the same house where she died because we couldnât afford to leave. His family could have helped us, but they didnât.â
Ladd later married William A. Shea Jr. from 1969 to 1977 and found lasting love with Robert Charles Hunter, whom she married on Valentineâs Day in 1999. The couple remained together until Hunter died in 2023.
A Family Etched in Hollywood History
Despite their divorce, Ladd and Dern stayed close and even shared the screen multiple times, including in âThe Wild Angels,â âThe Rebel Rousers,â âMrs. Munck,â and âAmerican Cowslip.â
In 2010, Ladd, Dern, and their daughter, Laura, made history as the first family to receive adjoining stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
At the ceremony, Laddâs acceptance speech captured her signature grace and gratitude.
âI ask the universe that these three stars right here â when Iâm dead and gone or if Iâm still alive â that whoever comes and looks at it or stands on it, may the energy of the three of our lives permeate into their foundation and help each and every one fulfill their destiny with joy and love,â she said.
The post Bruce Dern Honors Ex-Wife Diane Ladd With Touching Tribute After Her Passing: ‘Forever Grateful to Her’ appeared first on EntertainmentNow.