Woody Allen paid a heartfelt tribute to Diane Keaton after her death at the age of 79, sharing intimate memories of their romance and legendary creative partnership in an essay published in The Free Press.
“Her face and laugh lit up every space she entered, unlike anyone the planet has ever seen or will ever see again,” Allen wrote in the article.
The director recalled their first meeting at the audition for his play “Play It Again, Sam” in 1969 at the Morosco Theater. Keaton, an Orange County native, worked as a coat check girl while appearing on “Hair” and was recommended by acting teacher Sandy Meisner.
“If Huckleberry Finn were a gorgeous young woman, he would be Keaton,” Allen recalled of the first time he saw her.
During the first week of rehearsals, the two did not speak well at first. “She was shy and so was I. Things can get pretty boring when you have two shy people,” Allen wrote. But everything changed after we shared a quick meal during a break. “She was so attractive, so beautiful, so magical that I questioned my own sanity. I wondered if I could have fallen in love so quickly.”
By the time the show began in Washington, D.C., they had become romantically involved. Keaton proved to be Allen’s most trusted creative collaborator, providing feedback on his films that he appreciated above all else.
“Over time, I made movies for one audience: Diane Keaton,” Allen revealed. “I never read reviews of my work, I only cared about what Keaton said about it.”
Allen praised Keaton’s multifaceted talents beyond acting, noting her work as a writer, photographer, collage artist, interior decorator, and director. He also praised her unwavering aesthetic judgment and recalled that she did not hesitate to criticize a bard, even Shakespeare, if she felt it was “wrong”.
The essay included colorful anecdotes from their time together, including a memorable Thanksgiving where Allen “raised about 80 cents” playing penny poker with his family at Keaton’s Orange County home.
“This beautiful yokel went on to become an award-winning actress and sophisticated fashion icon,” Allen wrote. “We had a wonderful few years together in private, but in the end we both moved on. Only God and Freud may understand why we parted ways.”
Allen concluded with a poignant reflection on Keaton’s legacy. “A few days ago, the world was a world that included Diane Keaton, but now it’s a world that doesn’t. So it’s a much more gruesome world. But her movies still exist, and her big laugh still echoes in my head.”
Keaton starred in eight of Allen’s 50 films, including “Annie Hall,” “Manhattan,” and “Radio Days.”
Allen remains a polarizing figure in Hollywood after his affair with Soon-Yi Previn, the adopted daughter of ex-partner Mia Farrow. Allen and Previn, who have been married for more than 20 years, began their relationship while Allen was still in a relationship with Farrow. In the ensuing custody battle, Ms. Farrow claimed that Ms. Allen acted inappropriately toward her daughter, Dylan Farrow. Mr. Allen has consistently denied the allegations.
The accusations resurfaced amid the #MeToo movement, prompting Keaton to publicly defend his longtime collaborator on social media. “Woody Allen is a friend of mine and I continue to believe in him,” Keaton wrote at the time. “It might be interesting to look at the 1992 60 Minutes interview and see what you think.”
In 2017, Allen presented Keaton with the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award. “From the moment I met her, she was a great, great inspiration to me,” Allen said at the ceremony. “I definitely owe a lot of what I’ve accomplished in life to her. I’ve been able to see life through her eyes. She’s truly an amazing person. She’s an amazing woman in everything she does.”
