Diane Keaton’s Most Iconic Performances to Stream Now

Diane Keaton didn’t need to reinvent herself to stay relevant—Hollywood adapted to her. Over the course of five decades, she mastered the art of being both relatable and enigmatic.

Her filmography is a reflection of her range, spanning genre-defining classics, box office hits, and cult favorites. From her collaborations with Francis Ford Coppola and Woody Allen to her late-career resurgence under Nancy Meyers, Keaton consistently gave audiences characters they wanted to watch—and women they could root for.

Here’s a look back at some of her most iconic roles.

Diane Keaton in ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Annie Hall’

Keaton’s big break came with Coppola’s 1972 classic “The Godfather,” where she played Kay Adams. Kay could have easily faded into the background as the straight-laced wife. But Keaton brought a quiet intensity to the role.

Her final look in the movie’s closing moments — as the door shuts in her face — remains one of the most haunting shots in film history.

Years later, Keaton revealed a message Coppola had sent her during a 2023 Instagram Q&A about why he cast her. “I chose you, because although you were to play the more straight/vanilla wife, there was something more about you, deeper, funnier, and very interesting. (I was right),” he wrote.

Five years after “The Godfather,” Keaton took on the role that would define her in “Annie Hall.” Allen encouraged her to dress however she wanted, and she famously pieced together her menswear-inspired wardrobe from “cool-looking women on the streets of New York.” The look — vest, tie, wide pants, and that iconic hat — became a cultural touchstone.

“No one had any serious expectations. We were just having a good time moving through New York’s landmark locations,” she wrote in her memoir. “As always, Woody concerned himself with worries about the script. Was it too much like an episode of ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’? I told him he was nuts. Relax.”

‘Reds,’ ‘Baby Boom,’ and ‘Something’s Gotta Give’

Keaton’s versatility was on full display in the late 1970s and 1980s. In “Looking for Mr. Goodbar,” she played Theresa Dunn, a schoolteacher leading a dangerous double life. Her turn in Warren Beatty’s historical epic “Reds” as journalist Louise Bryant earned her critical acclaim.

Their romantic relationship unraveled during production, and Keaton later admitted, “Everyone knew I didn’t take well to Warren’s direction. It was impossible to work with a perfectionist who shot 40 takes per setup.”

In 1987’s “Baby Boom,” written by Charles Shyer and Nancy Meyers, Keaton played a Manhattan power executive who inherits a baby and trades corporate life for Vermont. Roger Ebert called the film “a fantasy about mothers and babies and sweetness and love, with just enough wicked comedy to give it an edge.”

Keaton redefined the romantic comedy heroine yet again in 2003’s “Something’s Gotta Give.” As playwright Erica Barry, she became the center of a love triangle between Jack Nicholson’s aging bachelor and Keanu Reeves’ charming doctor. Keaton later said it was her favorite film “because it was so unexpected at age 57” to be the romantic lead opposite Nicholson.

Diane Keaton’s Beloved Roles: ‘The First Wives Club’ and ‘Father of the Bride’

Out of all of Keaton’s standout performances, two roles in particular have remained fan favorites: “The First Wives Club” and “Father of the Bride.”

In 1996’s “The First Wives Club,” Keaton teamed up with Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler to play three divorced women who band together to get back at their ex-husbands. The chemistry between the trio was electric, and Keaton’s quick, understated comedic delivery balanced Hawn’s glam and Midler’s boldness perfectly. She was 50 at the time, and her performance struck a chord with audiences of every generation.

While critics were split, moviegoers weren’t. The film became a runaway hit, raking in $181 million at the global box office and finding a second life as a cult favorite. Over the years, fans have begged for a sequel, and the story even inspired both a stage musical and a television series.

Keaton also became a fan favorite as Nina Banks in “Father of the Bride” (1991) and its 1995 sequel. Playing the warm, grounded mother of bride-to-be Annie Banks (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), Keaton anchored the family comedy opposite Steve Martin’s panicked father and Martin Short’s unforgettable wedding planner.

Tell us! What is your favorite Diane Keaton movie? Let us know in the comments below.

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