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Andy Garcia remembers Diane Keaton.
The 69-year-old actor posted an emotional tribute to his longtime friend and frequent co-star following her death on October 11 at the age of 79. He co-starred with her in “The Godfather Part III”, “Book Club” and the 2023 sequel “Book Club: The Next Chapter”.
“The magical Diane Keaton has passed away,” Garcia wrote on Instagram. “I would like to share with you a photo of her taken in Sicily during the screening of The Godfather III. Diane you will be greatly missed, but your sublime light will shine forever.”
In the image, Keaton could be seen smiling broadly outside.
Andy Garcia/Instagram
In April 2018, Garcia said that working with Keaton again was on his “bucket list” before playing Keaton’s husband in The Book Club.
“She’s such a great actress, so I wanted to share that moment with her,” he told The Upcoming at the time, ahead of the romantic comedy’s release. “She has such a presence, she has a spontaneity that we’ve all always been so fascinated by. As an actor, I want to be a part of that.”
When his time on set ended, Garcia said that working with Keaton “was everything I expected.”
“I felt comfortable and had the ability to play,” he said, continuing to act with the actress. “With Diane, we’re always available to play and we’re never going to throw her away.”
In addition to Garcia, many of Keaton’s Book Club co-stars paid tribute to the late actress, including Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen.
Michael Kovacs/Getty
Fonda, 87, paid tribute to Keaton on Instagram, writing, “It’s hard to believe and accept that Diane is gone. She was always a ray of life and light, always laughing at her weaknesses and endlessly creative… in her acting, her wardrobe, her books, her friends, her home, her library, her worldview.”
He added: “She was unique. And she didn’t know it or wouldn’t admit it, but oh well, she was a great actress!”
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Andy Garcia/Instagram
Meanwhile, Bergen, 79, released a statement expressing his sadness. “This is a great loss for me personally and for all of us. Diane was a true artist, extremely talented and uniquely gifted in so many areas, but also modest and wonderfully eccentric. She will be sorely missed.”
“Diane was magical. There has never been anyone like her and there never will be anyone like her,” Steenburgen, 72, said in her statement. “I loved her and felt happy to be her friend. Her love for her family. What a magical person she was!!!”