BREAKING NEWSLaura Dern's Movie Star Mother Diane Ladd Dies at Age 89
Laura Dern confirmed her mother, Diane Ladd, has passed away.
Nov. 3 2025, Updated 3:56 p.m. ET
Laura Dern's Oscar-nominated mother, Diane Ladd, has died at age 89.
Dern confirmed the news in a public statement, sharing on Monday, November 3, "My amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother, Diane Ladd, passed with me beside her this morning, at her home in Ojai, Calif."
Laura Dern Mourns Mom Diane Ladd
Laura Dern confirmed on Monday, November 3, that her mother, Diane Ladd, has died.
"She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created. We were blessed to have her," expressed the Big Little Lies alum, 58. "She is flying with her angels now."
Ladd was nominated for three Academy Awards during her time as an actress for roles in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose.
Ladd received three Oscar nominations.
In 2018, Ladd was diagnosed with a lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, with a doctor telling her she had only just six months to live. Dern began accompanying her mom on walks to help her take "deeper breaths," which greatly helped her health improve, leading to a full recovery. It's believed the disease was caused by pesticides.
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In 2018, Ladd was diagnosed with a lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
"That’s the beauty in my mom’s story. Despite this life-altering diagnosis, she’s kept her drive, her passion, and her joy," Dern explained in a past interview of the health compliation. "She wrote a book, she continued acting, and beamed with pride when she saw her granddaughter graduate from high school. With newfound purpose, she’s persevered beyond her scars for years having so much life."
The cause of Ladd's death was not revealed.
Diane Ladd's Final Instagram Post
The movie star wrote a book about her health struggles.
Ladd had posted three times on Instagram this year, with her last upload occurring on September 17 to promote her flick The Last Full Measure.
"THE LAST FULL MEASURE is now streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and YouTube. The day before it was set to come out, Covid hit… and you know the rest," she explained in the caption. "Anyway, it’s out and it’s something really terrific. Not to be forgotten, among a bevy of brilliant actors in this film, three magnificent artists gave us the last great performances of their lives: Christopher Plummer, Peter Fonda, and William Hurt. What an honor. 🙏."
"(And, hey kids, what do you think of me getting into PodCasting? Thought I’d give you a taste. More to come. Stay tuned!)," she teased. "Love and light — Diane 💓🎙️💫."
Ladd never launched a podcast of her own before she died, but she did appear on other shows, such as her and Dern's joint interviews on "The Goop Podcast" and "Milk Drunk."
