The cause of death for acclaimed actress Diane Ladd has been officially confirmed, two weeks after her passing at age 89. The Oscar-nominated star, mother to actress Laura Dern, died from complications related to long-term lung disease.
Medical details emerge
According to documents obtained by People magazine, Ladd's death certificate states she succumbed to acute on chronic hypoxic respiratory failure, a condition typically caused by insufficient oxygen in the blood. The certificate also noted she had been living with interstitial lung disease for several years, with esophageal dysmotility listed as another contributing factor.
Ladd's daughter Laura Dern initially announced her mother's death on November 3, revealing she had been by her side at their family home in Ojai, California. The actress was cremated on November 10, according to official records.
A mother's tribute
In an emotional statement shared with The Independent shortly after her mother's passing, Dern described Ladd as "my amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother." She continued: "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. She is flying with her angels now."
Remarkable career and personal life
Born Rose Diane Ladner in Laurel, Mississippi on November 29, 1935, the actress shortened her surname to Ladd when beginning her acting career in theatre and television. Her early television appearances included shows like Naked City, Perry Mason and Mr. Novak during the 1950s.
In 1959, while performing in an off-Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' Orpheus Descending, she met co-star Bruce Dern. The couple married the following year and welcomed two daughters, though tragedy struck when their first child, Diane Elizabeth Dern, drowned at just 18 months old in 1960. Their second daughter, Laura, was born in 1967.
Ladd made her film debut with an uncredited role in 1961's Something Wild, earning her first formal credit in 1966's The Wild Angels alongside Bruce Dern and Peter Fonda.
Her breakthrough came with Martin Scorsese's 1974 drama Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, where her performance as sassy waitress Flo earned Ladd her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
The actress became known for playing mother to her real-life daughter Laura Dern in several films, including David Lynch's 1990 controversial drama Wild at Heart, which earned Ladd her second Oscar nomination. The following year, they made history with Rambling Rose, becoming the first mother and daughter ever nominated for Academy Awards for the same film.
Ladd also appeared in the festive favourite National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) as Clark Griswold's mother Nora. Her final film appearance came in 2022's Gigi & Nate.
Beyond her acting achievements, Ladd received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in November 2010, cementing her status as a respected industry veteran.
Ladd was married three times: to Bruce Dern from 1960-1969, businessman William Shea Jr. from 1973-1976, and to former PepsiCo executive Robert Charles Hunter from 1999 until his death in July 2025. She is survived by daughter Laura Dern and grandchildren Ellery and Jaya.
