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Emma Stone will forever cherish the many lessons Diane Keaton taught her.
Stone, 37, opened up about the late Keaton in W Magazine’s Best Performances 2026 issue, admitting that he “almost choked” just thinking about Keaton, who died on October 11, 2025, at age 79 from pneumonia.
“She will always be my North Star and my ultimate hero because she taught me things that I don’t want to emulate in anyone else, including her,” Stone said. “She taught me how valuable it is to the world to understand who you are and what you can contribute.”
“She was herself in so many ways, not only as a great actor, but also as a director, photographer, coffee table book curator and winemaker,” Stone continued. “Everything about her, her home and her fashion, was unique and completely Diane. She was the person who made me realize that the most valuable thing I had was who I was. She was the best of all time.”
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Stone said the First Wives Club actress was “really full of life.”
“I think life in general is very tragic and very interesting at the same time, and it’s usually a combination of both, whether it’s the state of the world or relationships,” she said. “It’s all kind of a tragicomedy. When someone can really convey that and express it the way she does, that’s just a gift to all of us.”
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In 2015, Keaton sat down with Stone for an interview to talk about Stone’s rising star and what it means to have a fan.
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“I don’t feel any different from anyone. I’m a very avid fan, as you all should know. (Laughter) I know what it’s like to be a fan,” Stone told Keaton.
Elsewhere in their conversation, Stone and Keaton also talked about beauty and style, with Stone telling her, “We have pretty similar tastes, based on your books and what I’ve seen on your Pinterest boards.”
“The more unique the better,” the La La Land star continued. “I think there’s something about people accepting themselves when they feel like they’re true to who they want to be and who they are. I tend to be drawn to that.”
Following news of Keaton’s “unexpected” death in October, dozens of celebrities, from Sarah Paulson to Goldie Hawn and most recently Chelsea Handler, paid tribute to the Annie Hall star.
