Laura Dern is mourning the loss of her beloved mother, actress Diane Ladd. Ladd died on November 3. She was 89. This is a closer look at the beautiful bond the pair shared and a glimpse of a few happy times.
The Bond Between Mother & Daughter
GettyLadd had an incredible career, including earning three prestigious Academy Award nominations for her work in the films “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” “Wild at Heart,” and “Rambling Rose.” But she was also a mother.
She had two daughters with actor Bruce Dern. Their first daughter, Diane Elizabeth Dern, tragically passed away in a drowning accident in 1962. She was under the care of a babysitter at the time and was just 18 months old.
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Getty“She fell into the pool. She hit her head and knocked herself out. And it all happened instantly. And she died, and you will never get over that,” Ladd told CBS News in May 2023 of her first daughter’s passing. “I don’t care what you say to yourself. I don’t care who says what. The child is not supposed to die before the parent.”
GettyRemembering Diane Ladd
GettyLadd and her then-husband later welcomed Laura, who was born in 1967. Ladd and Laura shared a beautiful, close relationship, and it was the actress who confirmed her mother’s passing in a heartfelt statement.
Getty“She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist, and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created,” Laura told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement. “We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now.”
GettyIn April 2023, the pair even published a book, “Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life, Death, Love (and Banana Pudding).”
GettyThey were often photographed attending events together, and tender moments, like them embracing, were captured on film. The two actresses also shared the screen several times, usually playing mother and daughter, and Ladd was immensely proud of this.
Getty“I’m proud of Laura because she’s an incredible talent and an incredible actress and, in my own opinion, she’s an incredible, gracious human being who cares a lot about mankind,” Ladd said of working with her daughter, People reports.
GettyLadd was also a grandmother to two grandchildren. Dern shares Ellery Walker and Jaya Harper with her ex-husband Ben Harper.
