Woody Allen seen for first time since death of ex Diane Keaton as he leans on wife Soon-Yi Previn for support

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Woody Allen was spotted in public for the first time since the unexpected passing of his former partner and longtime colleague, Diane Keaton.

Shortly after releasing a statement about the passing of his “Annie Hall” costar, 89-year-old director Woody Allen was seen with his wife, Soon-Yi Previn, who is 55, and 34 years his junior.

The couple, who have been together for many years, were spotted in New York City on Tuesday. Allen wore a green jacket, khaki pants, and a brown bucket hat, along with his usual glasses. He was leaning on his wife, whom he’s been with since 1997, for support.

Soon-Yi wore a brown coat, pink pants, and black leather shoes while walking with the filmmaker, who is known for being controversial.

Allen’s longtime girlfriend and creative partner died on Saturday.

They reportedly stayed friends after meeting in the late 1960s and dating for a time.

On Sunday, the filmmaker penned a touching essay as he mourned her loss.

Saying ‘most unique’ isn’t correct grammar, but when it comes to Diane Keaton, it seems like all rules are off. As the author wrote in a recent essay for The Free Press, she’s unlike anyone the world has seen before—or likely will again—and her presence and laughter always brightened a room.

Diane Keaton and Woody Allen first encountered each other in 1969 when Keaton tried out for a part in Allen’s Broadway play, ‘Play It Again, Sam’.

She finally landed a part in a stage play and was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance.

Allen recalled their first meeting, explaining that he didn’t pay attention to critics – only Keaton’s opinion mattered to him. He considered a film successful if she enjoyed it.

When she didn’t seem thrilled with my work, I’d try to improve it based on her feedback, hoping to create something she liked better.

Oh my gosh, she was incredible in so many of his films! But *Annie Hall*… that movie just *defined* her. Seriously, she won an Oscar for it – Best Actress! I’ve seen it countless times, and it still gives me chills. It’s just… perfect. She and that director, they were magic together, truly!

A few days ago, Diane Keaton was still part of our world, but now she’s gone, making things feel a little sadder. Luckily, we still have her films, and I can still hear her wonderful laugh in my memory.

Keaton and Allen shared a complicated history – they were close friends and were even rumored to have been romantically involved – until Allen’s death on October 11th at the age of 79.

According to TMZ, news of Keaton’s death in California emerged on Saturday when the Los Angeles Fire Department received a medical call to his home at 8:08 a.m.

Keaton was taken to the hospital by ambulance, according to reports.

According to a source who spoke with People magazine, Allen was deeply upset and shocked when he learned about Keaton’s death.

According to the source, Allen cared for her deeply and didn’t know she was becoming ill.

‘Nobody seemed to know. He was surprised,’ the insider expressed.

  The two stars often worked together with the late actress appearing in eight of his movies. 

In 1977, Keaton starred with Woody Allen in his film *Annie Hall*, a movie widely thought to be inspired by their previous romance.

Keaton acknowledged the rumors weren’t entirely accurate, but admitted they contained some truth, as he explained in a previous New York Times interview.

They reportedly dated before Annie Hall and once shared a luxurious penthouse apartment with a view of Central Park in New York City.

In her 2011 memoir, Keaton described how they bonded over playfully teasing each other about their mistakes and shortcomings.

He was quick with insults, and I could give as good as I got. He understood me perfectly, and his observations were spot-on and really funny. I thought he was incredibly resilient – someone you just couldn’t get rid of.

She also wrote elsewhere in the book that she missed Woody, and that he would be embarrassed if he knew how much she cared. However, she knew better than to bring it up.

I realize he’s almost disgusted by how strongly I feel for him, and I don’t know what to do. Despite that, I still love him.

Despite their romantic relationship coming to an end, their close friendship did not. 

Beyond *Annie Hall*, Woody Allen and Diane Keaton worked together on seven other movies, including *Love and Death* (1975) and *Manhattan* (1979).

The actress, famous for her role in The Godfather, also had well-known relationships with stars like Warren Beatty and Al Pacino.

Allen went on to have a relationship with Mia Farrow – who starred in 13 of his movies. 

During the early 1990s, Allen and Farrow had a difficult and public dispute over their children. At that time, actress Mia Farrow stated that their daughter, Dylan, had confided in her in 1992 about being sexually abused by Allen, allegations he strongly denied.

In 1992, Allen’s affair with Mia’s adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn also came to light. 

Allen and Previn eventually married in 1997 and adopted two children together. 

Keaton has often defended and supported Allen amid the sexual abuse allegations against him. 

Back in 2018 amid the #MeToo movement, the late actress shared a tweet where she defended the star. 

She stated that Woody Allen is a friend and she still trusts him. She suggested people might find it helpful to review his 1992 interview on 60 Minutes and form their own opinions.

Keaton shared the interview with her followers, which included Allen’s response to the accusations against him.

According to a source, Keaton felt that the issues surrounding the allegations against Allen didn’t diminish the value of the work they accomplished together.

She was consistently supportive of him, and he deeply appreciated her loyalty. This created a strong and lasting bond between them.

According to the source, Keaton and Allen used to stay in touch by phone and text. He would often contact her, especially when she defended him.

At the 2017 AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony celebrating Keaton, Woody Allen shared stories about their long-standing friendship.

‘The minute I met her, she was a great, great inspiration to me,’ the filmmaker stated at the time. 

Honestly, she’s everything to me. So much of my life, everything good, I owe to her. It’s like she showed me how to *see* things, you know? She’s just…astonishing. Seriously, she’s incredible at absolutely everything she puts her mind to. I could watch her do anything, and she’d be amazing at it.

In a 2014 interview with The Guardian, Keaton praised Allen, describing him as ‘the strongest person I’ve ever known’ and saying he was ‘made of steel’.

He really instilled in me the importance of hard work. He genuinely *wanted* to work hard, and he was incredibly disciplined – in fact, he’s the most disciplined person I’ve ever met, aside from my father.

Honestly, it was tough seeing the questions about the allegations against Allen directed at her. She really kept it short and simple, saying she didn’t want to comment. But then she added something really powerful – she said she stands by her friend, and that meant a lot to me.

A family spokesperson confirmed Keaton’s passing at the age of 79 to People on Saturday. 

A close friend shared that her health declined very quickly, which was devastating for those who cared about her. They were especially shocked because she was known for being strong and full of life.

They shared that in her last months, she was cared for privately by her immediate family. Even people who had known her for years didn’t fully understand the extent of her illness.

Keaton never married but adopted two children in her 50s: daughter Dexter and son Duke.  

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2025-10-15 18:20