Bette Midler shares her fondest memories with her late friend Diane Keaton.
On Tuesday’s episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” filmed days after the “Annie Hall” actress’ death, Midler recalled what it was like working with Keaton on the 1996 film “The First Wives Club.”
“There was something completely and completely magical about her. She was completely her own person,” the actress said, describing Keaton as “one of a kind.”
“I’ve never seen a comic book artist or actress who could really imitate her…[She was]so authentic.”
Ms. Midler, 79, recalled her first day on set with Keaton and co-star Goldie Hawn, reading table books in a cafe with them.
“It was very scary,” the comedian confessed, noting that Keaton and Hawn, also 79, had more experience in the film industry than he did at the time.
“We were sitting there and they started telling stories, and I’m telling you, I’ve never laughed so much in my life,” Midler recalled. “It was really amazing and magical.”
The “Hocus Pocus” star praised Keaton’s talent outside of Hollywood.
“And, of course, she was stunningly dressed,” she said of Keaton’s signature style, before raving about her writing and photography skills.
“She’s one of the few people I follow on Instagram because she’s so amazing. She’s a photographer and she’s written a number of books. The books she wrote about her family are amazing and very moving.”
Midler said she was “unbearably sad” when she heard of Keaton’s death over the weekend.
“The brilliant, beautiful, and extraordinary Diane Keaton has passed away,” Midler wrote in an Instagram post. “Words cannot express how incredibly sad this makes me. She was hilarious, completely original, and without any of the malice or competitiveness you would expect from a star like this.”
Furthermore, she added: “You saw who she was…oh, la, lala!”
Keaton’s publicist confirmed that the “Love and Death” star died on October 11 in California. He passed away at the age of 79.
