The entertainment world mourns the loss of veteran actress Diane Ladd, who passed away at 89. Her family has now disclosed the official cause of her death, providing closure to fans worldwide.
Official Cause of Death Revealed
According to a death certificate obtained by People magazine on November 17, Diane Ladd's passing resulted from acute on chronic hypoxic respiratory failure. The document confirmed she had been battling interstitial lung disease for several years before her death. Another contributing factor was esophageal dysmotility, a condition affecting swallowing and food movement.
Medical experts at the Cleveland Clinic describe hypoxic respiratory failure as occurring when the body fails to receive sufficient oxygen due to underlying lung problems. Ladd was cremated on November 10, as per official records.
Family Tributes and Personal Life
Her daughter, acclaimed actress Laura Dern, announced the heartbreaking news on November 3, revealing she was by her mother's side during her final moments. In an emotional statement, Dern described Ladd as "my profound gift of a mother" and confirmed she died peacefully at their family home in Ojai, California.
Ladd shared Laura with former husband Bruce Dern, to whom she was married from 1960 until 1969. Bruce Dern paid tribute to his ex-wife, remembering her as "funny, clever, gracious" while praising her exceptional work ethic and professional presence on film sets.
Legendary Career and Legacy
Diane Ladd began her acting journey in the 1960s, building an impressive career across film and television. Her breakthrough performance came in Martin Scorsese's 1974 classic Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, which earned her first Academy Award nomination.
She later won a Golden Globe for the television adaptation of Alice. The mother-daughter duo of Ladd and Laura Dern shared the screen in several notable projects, including Wild at Heart (1990) and Rambling Rose (1991), with the latter bringing Ladd additional Oscar nominations.
Ladd was married three times throughout her life. Her husband of more than twenty years, Robert Charles Hunter, predeceased her at age 77. She is survived by daughter Laura Dern and two grandchildren, Ellery Walker and Jaya Harper, leaving behind a rich legacy in Hollywood history.
