âSaturday Night Liveâ honored actress Diane Keaton during their second episode of the show’s 51st season with a touching tribute to her legacy.
Remembering Keaton’s Legacy
PEOPLE confirmed that Keaton had sadly passed away at 79 in California on Saturday, October 11, just hours before the late night show was set to air.
The remarkable actress had a decorated career that spanned over five decades. Keaton had her breakthrough role when she was cast opposite Al Pacino in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” in 1972. She received four Academy Award nominations and won Best Actress for her role in Woody Allen‘s 1977 film “Annie Hall.” She also won a Golden Globe for this same role.
Paramount Pictures/courtesy of Getty ImagesAllen wrote the role in “Annie Hall” specifically for Keaton. Their collaboration spanned eight films, starting with “Play it Again, Sam” in 1972. They continued to work together for the films “Sleeper,” “Love and Death,” “Interiors,” “Manhattan,” “Radio Days,” and “Manhattan Murder Mystery.”
Keaton is also well known for “Father of the Bride” and “The First Wives Club.” These films began her collaboration with writer-director Nancy Meyers. They went on to work together for the films “Baby Boom” and “Something’s Gotta Give,” a film that earned her another Golden Globe.
Among her other achievements are a BAFTA Award, nominations for two Emmy awards, and a Tony award.
Keaton Celebrated on âSNLâ Throughout the Years
âSNLâ is celebrating the 50th anniversary of their premiere. Though Keaton never hosted the show, the actress had been portrayed in a number of skits.
Vanessa Bayer played Keaton in 2012 in a sketch celebrating the “lesser known [James Bond] girls you may have forgotten from every era.” Included in this montage is, âKeaton in âNever Die Twice Tomorrow.ââ While in bed with 007, Bayer held up a small pistol and said with a laugh, “prepare to die. I guess. I don’t know.âÂ
Chloe Fineman stepped into Keatonâs shoes for a âFather of the Brideâ sketch that premiered in 2022. “Diane Keaton is back, and more Diane Keaton than ever. She’s an icon in beige, and we’re here for it,” said a voiceover.
Ashley Padilla, who once worked as the actress’ assistant, shared her gratitude for her former boss on Instagram. On her Instagram story, she posted a series of stories beginning with a photo of her and Keaton in matching outfits with the caption, “I will never forget you. I will always love you. And I will miss you all of the time. Thank you for everything, Diane. You changed my life. ð¤â Following this was a black and white video of Keaton singing âHouse of the Rising Sun.â Her last story was of the same black and white photo of Keaton posted by âSNLâ below.Â
Padilla also made an Instagram post with the simple but affecting caption that reads, âI love you. ð¤â
Former “SNL” cast member Amy Poehler and Keaton never worked together, but Keaton shared her love for the fellow actress on Twitter (now X) back in 2014 in a series of tweets.
âSo I have something to say about a new discovery…I’ve fallen in love with Amy Poehler,â Keaton wrote. âMy 13 year old son Duke and I have now seen three years of ‘Parks and Rec’ episodes in four months. Last night we saw Amy get married. That sealed the deal for me. My love for her is now eternal.â She continued to gush, âAmy Poehler can do anything. Not only is she drop dead funny, she’s charming, sweet, warm and beautiful. Especially as a bride.â
“SNL” Honors Keaton with a Farewell Tribute
The show honored Keaton with a tribute card at the end of the episode. The black and white image featured Keaton wearing her signature collared shirt and tie with her name in a simple typeface. Though it was simple, the actress’ legacy speaks for itself.
At the end of the show, Poehler donned a collared shirt and tie during their end credit farewell, a beautiful, full circle moment.
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