Diane Keaton's family confirm her cause of death after short illness

Devastated relatives and friends have paid tribute to the Diane Keaton - renowned for her portrayal of Kay Adams in The Godfather and her creative partnerships with Woody Allen - in a heartfelt statement after her passing at the age of 79.

They highlighted Diane's profound affection for animals and the natural world. However, the tribute also revealed that Diane, who secured an Oscar for Allen's groundbreaking film Annie Hall, died after a brief struggle with pneumonia.

The moving tribute states: "The Keaton family are very grateful for the extraordinary messages of love and support they have received these past few days on behalf of their beloved Diane, who passed away from pneumonia on October 11.

"She loved her animals and she was steadfast in her support of the unhoused community, so any donations in her memory to a local food bank or an animal shelter would be a wonderful and much appreciated tribute to her."

After Diane's death on Saturday in California, numerous actors and filmmakers, including Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, Paul Feig and Ben Stiller, honoured the actress, whose career stretched across more than five decades, reports the Mirror.

The family's statement comes amid a series of touching tributes celebrating Diane's life. A close friend has also offered their condolences, commending Diane's "strength and spirit".

Nevertheless, they noted the star's condition had "declined very suddenly" and was "heartbreaking for everyone who loved her." Sources close to the family told People: "It was so unexpected, especially for someone with such strength and spirit.

"In her final months, she was surrounded only by her closest family, who chose to keep things very private. Even longtime friends weren't fully aware of what was happening."

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to reports concerning her wellbeing at her residence at 8am on Saturday. The renowned actress from The Godfather was rushed to a nearby hospital by ambulance where she was later pronounced dead.

Upon hearing the news, American filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, who was well-acquainted with the actress, said: "Words can't express the wonder and talent of Diane Keaton. Endlessly intelligent, so beautiful.

"From her earliest performances in 'Hair' and throughout her amazing career, she was an extraordinary actor. I saw her in the film 'Lovers and Other Strangers' and knew I had to have her play Kay in The Godfather, (which she told me she based on my wife Ellie) and her wonderful work in 'Annie Hall' while simultaneously setting a new fashion trend. Everything about Diane was creativity personified."

Diane made her cinematic debut in 1970's Lovers And Other Strangers but rose to stardom in 1972 after portraying Kay, the girlfriend and subsequently wife of Al Pacino's Michael Corleone in Coppola's The Godfather - a role which she reprised in 1974's The Godfather Part II and 1990's The Godfather Part III.

She continued to have a lengthy career as a film actress, featuring in films such as Father Of The Bride, The Family Stone, Something's Gotta Give and The Book Club. Her last appearances were in Summer Camp and Arthur's Whisky in 2024, with no indication of any ongoing projects at the time.