Filmmaker Nancy Meyers broke her silence on the death of Diane Keaton, who passed away on October 11 at 79 years old.
In a lengthy Instagram post shared on October 13, Meyers wrote, “These past 48 hours have not been easy. Seeing all of your tributes to Diane has been a comfort. As a movie lover, Iâm with you all — we have lost a giant.”
Meyers hailed Keaton as a “brilliant actress” whom she had known for close to four decades, and described her as a “sister” because of the many things they had in common.
She continued, “As a filmmaker, Iâve lost a connection with an actress that one can only dream of. We all search for that someone who really gets us, right? Well, with Diane, I believe we mutually had that.”
The director also described Keaton as a gifted actress who gave everything in front of the cameras. “She goes deep. And I know those who have worked with her know what I know ⦠she made everything better,” Meyers wrote.
Meyers recalled working with Keaton on “Something’s Gotta Give,” and shared, “She was fearless, she was like nobody ever, she was born to be a movie star, her laugh could make your day and for me, knowing her and working with her — changed my life. Thank you Di. Iâll miss you forever.”
Keaton & Meyers Worked On Several Films Together
The 1987 film “Baby Boom” marked the first time Keaton and Meyers worked together. Produced by Meyers, the movie follows Keaton as a businesswoman who inherits a baby from a distant cousin.
In a 2020 interview with Vulture, Keaton recalled the first time she met Meyers. “This was a long time ago. [Nancy and her ex-husband Charles Shyer] were interested in me for a movie, and thatâs how I met them. I was working on a movie, and they talked to me … They seemed both very charming and okay. You know, they sounded good.”
Keaton shared that she had a good time playing her “Baby Boom” character and told Vulture, “You know, she gets a kid out of nowhere. I mean, sheâs just like, ‘Oh my God! How do I get rid of it?!’ I mean, it was fun.”
Meyers and Keaton collaborated again on “Father of the Bride” and “Father of the Bride II.” They linked up again in the 2003 movie, “Something’s Gotta Give,” which would be their last film together.
“Something’s Gotta Give,” which earned Keaton a Golden Globe win, was written with the mom of two and Jack Nicholson in mind. “I had their pictures all over my computer,” Meyers said in a 2003 interview shared by Film Discussion.
“And when I would really get stuck, I would go online to their website … and I’d see Diane on a red carpet somewhere, and I’d see a look on her face and go, ‘Oh, yeah! I’m back,’” Meyers laughed.
‘Something’s Gotta Give’ Was One of Keaton’s Most Memorable Films
“Something’s Gotta Give” was a huge success with a star-studded cast that included Nicholson, Amanda Peet, Frances McDormand, and Keanu Reeves.
However, Keaton shared in her memoir, “Then Again” (per the Guardian), that she didn’t think the film would take off, but it ended up being her favorite movie.
The late actor also revealed that two years after the film’s release, she got a huge residual check sent to her, which wasn’t part of her contract. Keaton later found out that Nicholson had generously shared his part of the earnings with her.
Keaton stated in a 2003 interview in Venice Magazine of working with Nicholson, “Yeah, I mean I hadn’t seen Jack, besides passing him like twice in 25 years. [laughs] So I didn’t know what he would be like. Because in that span of time, you know, Jack became larger than legendary. He became a national treasure, which has not exactly happened to me.”
She added, “You’re always being challenged when you’re with Jack, that’s the way I see it. And that’s also a very enlivening thing when you’re acting. So I’d have to say that it was a very profound experience for me, this one.”
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