Diane Ladd, a three-time Academy Award-nominated actress from Laurel, has passed away at age 89
Ladd was pronounced deceased on Monday. The actress died at her home in Ojai, Calif. Ladd was born in Laurel in 1935 when her family was visiting relatives for Thanksgiving, though she was raised in Meridian. Ladd would have turned 90 on Nov. 29 of this year.
From a lengthy career in television to playing notable roles in Hollywood films, Ladd was recognized for her comic and dramatic performances. Her Academy nominations stemmed from parts she played in “Wild at Heart,” “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” and “Rambling Rose.” Some of her notable TV appearances were on the shows “Perry Mason,” “Gunsmoke,” and “Touched by an Angel.”
Ladd was instantly connected to the arts at birth. Legendary playwright Tennessee Williams, a Columbus native, was Ladd’s second cousin, and her first husband, Bruce Dern, was also an Academy Award nominee. Ladd’s daughter, Laura Dern, even played to the family tradition of acting. Laura Dern worked alongside her mother in “Rambling Rose” and “Wild at Heart.”
Hollywood superstar Reese Witherspoon commemorated Ladd’s life and legacy. In a social media post, the “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Legally Blonde” actress referred to the Mississippian as her inspiration and a mother figure.
“Oh Diane! What a beautiful spirit, filled with light, childlike creativity, and boundless ideas. A born and bred storyteller from Mississippi, your golden voice made every small moment feel like a remembered dream,” Witherspoon said. “You were my inspiration and my Other Mother. May all your angels welcome you home into a place of love and light. Til we meet again.”
Details for funeral arrangements for Ladd have not been publicly released.
