Diane Ladd Height, Weight, Religion, Net Worth, Age, Biography

About (Profile/Biography):
Rose Diane Ladd (née Ladner), born November 29, 1935 in Laurel, Mississippi, was a fearless character actress whose career spanned seven decades with over 200 film and TV credits. Known for her bold Southern charm and chameleon-like versatility, she broke out in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) and later earned her place with memorable turns in Wild at Heart (1990) and Rambling Rose (1991). Alongside her daughter Laura Dern she made history as the first mother-daughter duo nominated for Oscars for the same film. Outside acting, she wrote, directed and embraced holistic healing—her fearless spirit made her one of the most distinctive faces of Hollywood.
Early & Personal Life of Diane Ladd
• She grew up as the only child of veterinarian Preston Paul Ladner and actress Mary Bernadette Ladner, in a deeply Southern-Catholic household in Meridian, Mississippi.
• She married actor Bruce Dern in 1960; their first daughter died at 18 months in a tragic pool accident in 1962—a loss that haunted her deeply.
• She lived later in Ojai, California, and in 1999 married Robert Charles Hunter, remaining active in arts, activism and wellness through her 80s.
Career Milestones of Diane Ladd
• She earned her first major film breakthrough as Flo in Martin Scorsese’s “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” (1974), a bold, witty character that won her a BAFTA and earned her an Oscar nomination.
• In 1990’s “Wild at Heart” she portrayed a fiercely protective mother, a role that both terrified and dazzled critics—earning her another Oscar nod alongside her daughter.
• In 1991’s “Rambling Rose” she and Laura Dern became the first mother-daughter pair nominated in the same year for the same film—cementing their place in Hollywood history.
Lesser-Known Facts about Diane Ladd
• Diane preferred to spell her surname “Ladd” after dropping the “ner” from her birth name “Ladner”; many early credits misreported her relationship to actor Alan Ladd, which she refuted.
• Before films she danced at New York’s Copacabana, and was once among the chorus girls there while studying acting at the famed Actors Studio.
• Despite her screen image she built a long-running career as a nutritional consultant, holistic healer and motivational lecturer—publishing books on spiritual wellness and creative life.
Controversy around Diane Ladd
• Behind her ready humour she carried deep resentment after missing the Oscar win for “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”; she publicly criticised winner Ingrid Bergman for what she saw as false modesty, saying the old Southerner in her “toes literally curled under my shoes”.
• On the 1980 sitcom “Alice” she replaced the popular Flo character after the original actress left; Diane left the show after one season, stating the writers lacked a clear vision for her ‘Belle’ character and she couldn’t continue under those terms.
• Her first marriage to Bruce Dern was deeply affected by their daughter’s death and later separation; the tragedy, she admitted, left both of them “so bruised” that their relationship never fully recovered.
Awards & Recognitions received by Diane Ladd
• Nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress: for “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” (1974), “Wild at Heart” (1990) and “Rambling Rose” (1991).
• Winner of the British Academy (BAFTA) Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”.
• Recipient of a Golden Globe Award for her television work (series “Alice”) and an Independent Spirit Award among over two dozen international honours spanning acting, writing and directing.