Goldie Hawn delivered a deeply moving tribute to her close friend, legendary movie icon Diane Keaton, at The Hollywood Reporterâs Women in Entertainment Gala. Hawn and Sarah Paulson attended the December 3 event in Los Angeles to honor the late actress, with âGood Morning Americaâ later sharing a clip of Hawnâs emotional speech.
Hawn Breaks Down Remembering Life as Keatonâs Neighbor
Hawn admitted she struggled to write her remarks. âI write, and then I cry. And then I write, and then I cry,â she told the audience. She reflected on the comfort of living so close to Keaton, with her house perched just above her friendâs.
âIt was just the greatest thing knowing that she was just below me,â she said. She recalled tending to her rose garden and glancing toward Keatonâs home, often wondering, âWhat in the world is she doing now?â
The Moment Hawn Learned of Keatonâs Death
Hawn said Keaton was constantly in her thoughts. âShe was always on my mind. She was so close to me,â she shared. She then described the moment she learned of Keatonâs death.
âI happened to learn when I was in my backyard. And I went over to my backyard, to my rose garden, and I just looked down at her house and said, âShe canât be gone, she just cannot be gone. No one like that should ever die,â the âOverboardâ star said.
Keaton died on October 11 at age 79 from pneumonia.
Hawn previously posted a tribute on Instagram, writing, âHow do we say goodbye? What words can come to mind when your heart is broken? You never liked praise, so humble, but now you canât tell me to âshut up,â honey. There was, and will be, no one like you.â
Hawn Celebrates Keatonâs Creative Spirit and Legacy
Hawn praised Keatonâs talent and vibrant personality throughout the speech. âShe just brought so much joy, so much life, so much exuberance. She was like lightning in a bottle. There wasnât anything that she couldnât do, there wasnât any world that she couldnât live in.â
The 80-year-old highlighted Keatonâs work beyond acting, noting that she also wrote books, produced projects, and directed. Hawn described her friend as both a force of nature and a creative powerhouse.
A Final Farewell From a Friend Who Loved Her Deeply
Hawn closed her tribute by calling Keaton a star in every sense.
âI think that she is a star. And if we can have a fantasy, which I do, that stars are really people who died a long time ago that did something really good for the world, I think maybe thatâs where she is right now,â she said.
Her voice trembled as she stepped away from the podium, allowing Paulson to continue. The room fell quiet, moved by a moment that captured the depth of a friendship built on admiration, history, and unconditional love.
Keatonâs legacy lives on through her body of work, her influence across generations of performers, and the tributes from friends who continue to honor the light she brought into their lives.
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