Remebering Diane Keaton
It was such a shock to hear of Diane Keaton’s sudden passing. For so many of us, it feels like losing a dear friend—someone who grew up alongside us, who made us laugh, think, and feel. We wanted to be her best friend. We felt like we already were.
Her radiant smile, infectious giggle, quirky charm, and one-of-a-kind style made her unmistakably Diane. My first memory of her is her Oscar-winning performance in Annie Hall—brilliant, luminous, and oh-so-funny. I recently rewatched it with some younger Tomatoes who’d never seen it. It still holds up beautifully. One of my favorite scenes? The lobster one. Watch the clip and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
But Diane was never just one role. She was Kay in The Godfather, opposite Al Pacino. She was Erica in Something’s Gotta Give, sparring and swooning with Jack Nicholson. She was a delight in Book Club and other lighthearted comedies that celebrated aging with humor and grace.
I admired Diane deeply. She marched to her own beat, living life on her terms. Though she dated some of Hollywood’s biggest names, she never felt the need to marry. But motherhood called to her, and in her fifties, she adopted two children whom she adored—and who, by all accounts, adored her right back.
She also defied Hollywood’s obsession with eternal youth. “I’m always interested in becoming better, not younger,” she once said. That line stayed with me. She kept making movies, too—her last was Summer Camp (2024), a comedy about three old friends at a reunion full of surprises.
Watch this beautiful tribute from David Muir and ABC News. It speaks volumes about the woman we loved and the legacy she leaves behind:
The tomato behind The Three Tomatoes.
Cheryl Benton, aka the “head tomato” is founder and publisher of The Three Tomatoes, a digital lifestyle magazine for “women who aren’t kids”. Having lived and worked for many years in New York City, the land of size zero twenty-somethings, she was truly starting to feel like an invisible woman. She created The Three Tomatoes just for the fun of it as the antidote for invisibility and sent it to 60 friends. Today she has thousands of friends and is chief cheerleader for smart, savvy women who want to live their lives fully at every age and every stage. She is the author of the novel, "Can You See Us Now?" and co-author of a humorous books of quips, "Martini Wisdom." Because she's lived a long time, her full bio won't fit here. If you want the "blah, blah, blah", read more. www.thethreetomatoes.com/about-the-head-tomato
Beautiful tribute, Cheryl , to a lovely person. I first met Diane Keaton in 1968 when she was in the original Broadway cast of HAÏR. Diane, while not a friend, was always friendly then and throughout the years thereafter whenever our paths crossed. A true artist who indeed will be forever missed. EE