How Diane Keaton’s closest friend helped her to achieve her ‘lifelong ambition’ just months before she died – and the poignant legacy it leaves

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Just months before her death, Diane Keaton fulfilled a lifelong dream by recording a heartfelt Christmas song.

The Academy Award-winning actress passed away on October 11th at 79 years old. She recorded a song called ‘First Christmas’ that beautifully captures the sadness of losing someone and experiencing the holidays for the first time without them.

Moving black-and-white video shows the famous actress at a piano, recording what would become her last song – her very first solo release.

Diane co-wrote and sings the heartfelt lyrics, ‘Now I wish that I could let go, it’s a silent night, it’s another year, the first Christmas without you here, I miss you so,’ with her friend and songwriting partner, Carole Bayer Sager.

Carole said she was shocked by how frail Diane looked in her final weeks, and she never expected the song’s lyrics to become so deeply sad just ten months after it was first released.

Carole fondly remembered Diane, describing her as a radiant and special person. She shared a touching video of them hugging while recording music, a moment she said would always remind them of their close bond.

Diane shared her song last November, explaining on Instagram that it meant a lot to her personally. She hoped it would bring her fans comfort and peace during the holidays, just as it did for her.

She’d often mentioned wanting to be a singer, explaining that she dreamed of performing in nightclubs even into her twenties. She did a few small performances, but admitted she wasn’t very skilled.

Diane shared her enthusiasm for singing, saying, ‘I’m truly passionate about it. I adore music, and I especially enjoy singing ballads and sad songs – it’s just a lot of fun!’

Carole, the 81-year-old songwriter and former wife of Burt Bacharach, posted a video on Instagram of Diane recording “First Christmas.” She wrote a tribute, saying, “Rest in peace, Diane. You made the world a better place.”

In another post, the friends are shown holding hands and embracing, and a heartbroken Carole wrote: ‘I never imagined those words could describe you.’

The song ‘First Christmas,’ co-written by 42-year-old singer-songwriter Jonas Myrin, contains lyrics about the pain of being separated from a loved one during the holidays, expressing feelings like longing and unexpectedly facing Christmas alone. The lyrics include lines about loving someone for a long time but them not returning home, and never imagining having to go through the holidays alone.

Snow is falling outside my window, and I’m finding it hard to move on. It’s a quiet night, marking another year gone by… and the first Christmas I’m spending without you.

Jonas, the pianist who accompanied Diane while she recorded a Christmas song, shared a touching message expressing his sadness over her death.

He shared that being able to help her finally record an original song – something she’d dreamed of her whole life – was an experience he would always cherish.

“First Christmas,” a song I wrote with Carole and produced for Diane last year, turned out to be her only recorded song. Now, the lyrics have a much deeper meaning than I ever expected.

More than just the song, I cherish the memories we made together. Diane had a wonderful way of filling a room with laughter and playful humor, always keeping us smiling. And she always looked incredibly stylish, like she was stepping out of a fashion magazine.

Jonas shared that the song was deeply meaningful to Diane, explaining she’d called him crying because it was such an important moment for her.

He recalled her phone call, saying she told him performing that song was one of the highlights of her entire career, a moment he would always remember.

She’d always dreamed of writing and recording her own song, and working with Carole to make that dream a reality was a truly special experience.

Jonas concluded by saying that Diane approached life with fearlessness, curiosity, generosity, and love. He believes her spirit will continue to live on through her music and the impact she had on others.

Despite a brilliant career that included iconic roles in films like Annie Hall, Reds, and Something’s Gotta Give, Diane spent her last weeks alone.

According to a source who spoke with People magazine, Diane has been isolating herself as her health has quickly worsened.

A friend told a US publication that the news was surprising, particularly considering how strong and spirited the person was.

Carole shared that the wildfires in Los Angeles in January forced Diane to relocate to Palm Springs.

It had been a while since the friends had seen each other, and Carole was shocked by how much weight Diane had lost.

I saw her a few weeks ago, and she looked very unwell – she’d lost a lot of weight. She had to go to Palm Springs because of damage inside her house, and they were doing a full cleanup.

I noticed a huge change in her after she was away for a bit. Honestly, I was really surprised by how much weight she’d lost – it was quite noticeable!

Diane’s health unexpectedly worsened, forcing her to sadly sell the house of her dreams in Los Angeles, a home she’d lovingly renovated over many years.

Earlier this year, Diane put her home on the market for £21 million after documenting its renovations in her book, *The House That Pinterest Built*.

Alongside her award-winning career and A-list properties, Diane leaves behind her beloved children. 

I’ve always been fascinated by Diane Keaton! Beyond her incredible career, her personal life is so inspiring. She had relationships with some amazing men – Al Pacino, Woody Allen, and Warren Beatty, to name a few – but what really touched me was that she became a mom later in life, adopting two children in her fifties. It just proves it’s never too late to build a family.

She single-handedly raised her two children, Dexter and Duke, whom she adopted in 1996 and 2001, explaining that she couldn’t imagine life without being a mother.

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2025-10-14 03:07