Laura Dern shares heartbreaking tribute to late mom Diane Ladd on what would’ve been her 90th birthday

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Laura Dern honored her mother, Diane Ladd, on what would have been her 90th birthday, shortly after the beloved actress passed away.

On Sunday, Dern posted a touching black-and-white photo of her mother, celebrating what would have been her 90th birthday. She wrote a sweet message calling her mom her ‘hero’ and ‘the most extraordinary person’ she’s ever known.

She remembered her mother as a kind, imaginative, and creative person who always put others first. ‘I love you, Mom,’ she finished.

Ellen Ladd, famous for playing Flo in Martin Scorsese’s 1974 movie Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, passed away earlier this month at her home in Ojai, California. She was 89 years old.

David Dern, 58, announced that his mother, actress Diane Ladd, passed away this morning at her home in Ojai, California. He shared the news with The Hollywood Reporter, describing her as ‘my amazing hero and my profound gift.’

She remembered Ladd as an extraordinary woman – a wonderful daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, and artist with a deeply kind heart. She said they were lucky to have known her, and that she had peacefully passed away.

Alan Ladd was a remarkably busy actor in Hollywood, and received three Academy Award nominations for his roles in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), Wild at Heart (1990), and Rambling Rose (1991).

Throughout her extensive career, spanning over 300 films and TV shows, she appeared in a diverse range of projects. These included Stephen King’s 2004 horror series for ABC, the 1983 film Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), 28 Days (2000), Charlie’s War (2003), and Joy (2015).

Her last television appearance was as Nell O’Brien, the family’s mother figure, on the show Chesapeake Shores from 2016 to 2022. She finished her acting career with the 2022 film Gigi & Nate.

She also wrote and directed the critically acclaimed 1995 film Mrs. Munck.

In 1992, she and Laura Dern both received Academy Award nominations—a first for a mother and daughter—for their work in the film Rambling Rose. The movie was especially meaningful as Princess Diana reportedly loved it and attended a special royal screening in London.

In 2018, Ladd experienced a serious health issue when she accidentally breathed in harmful spray from a nearby farm. Doctors first thought it was pneumonia, but it actually caused her esophagus to narrow.

Doctors initially gave her just a few months to live, but Dern explored other options and moved her to a different hospital, where she thankfully made a complete recovery.

Laura Dern was dedicated to helping her mother regain her strength, so she joined her on frequent walks and recorded their talks. These conversations later formed the basis of their 2023 memoir, Honey, Baby, Mine, a book about life, death, love, and even banana pudding.

The Telegraph called the book ‘the best, most honest, and surprisingly fun Hollywood memoir… and also a very affectionate one.’

Their memoir explores their deeply bonded yet candid relationship. 

During a conversation, Ladd asked Dern if he thought he had negatively impacted her life. Dern responded with a simple, ‘Yes, absolutely.’

Ladd admits to hitting her daughter after an argument, explaining she was already having a really bad day. She then questioned her own parenting skills, wondering where she had gone wrong.

Dern explained she was fourteen years old then and recalled her mother being very unhappy with her job and eager to find someone to blame when she got home.

Ladd and Dern worked together on many projects during their careers, such as Enlightened, Inland Empire, Damaged Care, Daddy & Them, Citizen Ruth, and The Siege at Ruby Ridge.

Laura Dern has shared that her mother originally discouraged her from pursuing acting. In a 2018 interview with People, she recalled her mother saying, ‘Become a lawyer, a doctor, even a missionary – just please don’t be an actress!’

Ladd and her ex-husband, 89-year-old Bruce Dern, were married from 1960 to 1969 and had a daughter named Laura together.

Bruce paid tribute to his former wife in a statement to Us Weekly, saying, ‘She lived a good life. 

He described her as someone who was honest and saw things clearly. He praised her as funny, intelligent, and kind, and a supportive colleague to her fellow actors. Most importantly, he cherished her as a wonderful mother to their remarkable daughter, and expressed his eternal gratitude for that.

Their first daughter, Diane, sadly passed away at just 18 months old in a pool accident.

Laura arrived five years after her sibling. Ladd is remembered by her daughter, Dern, and her two grandchildren, Ellery Walker Harper, age 24, and Jaya Harper, age 20.

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2025-12-01 00:34