Woody Allen pays tribute to Diane Keaton in emotional essay

Woody Allen mourns the death of Diane Keaton.

The 89-year-old director paid tribute to his ex-girlfriend and “Annie Hall” co-star He died on Saturday at the age of 79 In an emotional article I published Free press Sunday.

“It is grammatically incorrect to say ‘most distinguished,’ but all rules of grammar, and I guess everything else, are suspended when talking about Diane Keaton,” Allen wrote. “Unlike anyone the planet has ever seen or is likely to see again, her face and laugh lit up any space she entered.”

The director recalled meeting Keaton at an audition for his play Play It Again, Sam in 1969. He recalled that they were “shy” until they connected over a meal during intermission.

“That was our first moment of personal connection,” Allen said. “The result was that she was so charming, so beautiful, so enchanting, that I doubted my sanity. I thought: Could I possibly fall in love so quickly?”

Allen explained that as his relationship with Keaton progressed, she became his most important collaborator and confidant.

“I never read a single review of my work and only cared about what Keaton said about it,” he said. “If she liked it, she considered the film an artistic success. If she was less enthusiastic, she tried to use her criticism to re-edit and come up with something she felt better about.”

The two stars Dated for a few years Beginning in 1969, as Allen wrote in his article, “only God and Freud might be able to know” why they no longer continued as a couple.

“This beautiful yokel has become an award-winning actress and a cutting-edge fashion icon,” Allen added of the “First Wives Club” star.

At the end of his article, Allen wrote: “A few days ago the world was a Diane Keaton world. Now it is a world that doesn’t have her. And so, it’s a much bleaker world. And yet, there are still her movies. Her great laugh still resonates in my mind.”

Keaton starred in eight of Allen’s films, including “Annie Hall,” “Manhattan,” “Radio Days” and “Love and Death.” She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for “Annie Hall.”

In 2018, Keaton He publicly stood by Allen After it was Accused of child molestation From his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, whom he shares with his ex-girlfriend, Mia Farrow. Allen has denied the allegations.

“Woody Allen is my friend and I still believe him,” Keaton wrote on Twitter at the time.

For his part, Allen honored Keaton at the 45th Annual AFI Life Achievement Awards in 2017.

“The moment I met her, she was a great inspiration to me,” Allen said at the event. “A lot of what I’ve accomplished in my life I owe to her, for sure. Seeing life through her eyes. She’s truly amazing. Such a great woman at everything she does.”

Her family confirmed that Keaton died on Saturday in California. The cause of death was not revealed.

‘Book Club’ star’s health claims “It went down very suddenly“In the last few months.

“It was completely unexpected,” said one of Keaton’s friends. the people Saturday, “especially for someone with that strength and spirit.”

Keaton has never revealed whether He was fighting any disease She was last seen in public in late 2024 during a holiday shopping trip.