Hollywood Stars Reveal Why Diane Keaton Remains Their Ultimate Role Model
From Elizabeth Olsen to Emma Stone, A-list actors continue to praise Diane Keaton's authentic approach to acting and life, calling her influence unmatched in Hollywood.
Diane Keaton possessed remarkable range as a performer, but her natural eccentricity became her signature trait. This authentic quality explains why countless actors consider her their greatest influence. She operated in a league entirely her own.
Elizabeth Olsen discovered her acting hero in Keaton. She shared with The Guardian that viewing her performance in Annie Hall helped her understand "the kind of woman I wanted to be, because I hadn't seen the woman I felt connected to in films. I was like, I'm not the sexy one, I'm not the nerd, I don't know where I fit."
Contemporary Stars Express Deep Admiration
Olsen joins numerous performers who have consistently admired Keaton. Two-time Oscar winner Emma Stone represents another devoted fan of the legendary actress.
"I haven't met her, but I talk about her so damn much that she's probably scared of me. I talk about her literally every day. She's probably a little freaked out by me, so maybe it's a better idea not to meet her because she's probably going to have to get some sort of restraining order at this point. I'm kidding, I promise I am no threat," Stone once admitted.
Keaton's filmography spans so many exceptional movies that selecting favorites proves difficult. Some remember her as Kay Corleone from The Godfather. Others associate her with Woody Allen productions.
Directors See Clear Artistic Lineage
Greta Gerwig identified connections between her acting style and Keaton's approach. The lineage appears obvious when comparing characters like Frances Halladay from Frances Ha to Annie Hall.
"I'm not comparing myself to her, but if you hire Diane Keaton, you're going to get Diane Keaton. She can play lots of different things, but she more often than anything is Diane Keaton," Gerwig explained to The Los Angeles Times.
Industry Veterans Praise Her Genuine Nature
Beyond younger performers, Keaton earned respect from her peers. Hollywood's most celebrated actors have praised her talents. The list includes Al Pacino, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, and Jane Fonda.
Streep felt deeply inspired by Keaton. They collaborated on the emotional drama Marvin's Room in 1996. Streep told USA Today, "She is physically incapable of actorishness or falsity or any kind of punching up the line for the laughs. She's just real. Because she's really on a very high order of artist."
Keaton's genuine nature both personally and professionally established her influential reputation. People gravitate toward individuals without pretense who aren't afraid to reveal the messier aspects of humanity. She represented exactly that while maintaining versatility as a performer.
Fonda captured her essence in an Instagram tribute, writing, "She was always a spark of life and light, constantly giggling at her own foibles, being limitlessly creative…in her acting, her wardrobe, her books, her friends, her homes, her library, her world view. Unique is what she was. And, though she didn't know it or wouldn't admit it, man, she was a fine actress!"